Southern Israel Sees First Autumn Rains, Flood Warnings Issued for Sunday

Southern Israel experienced its first autumn rainfall on Saturday morning, with unexpected thunderstorms hitting Eilat and the southern Arava Valley. Eilat recorded 2.5 millimeters of precipitation, while the Ramon Airport area saw 0.6 mm. The Israeli Meteorological Service issued a yellow alert for the southern Negev and the Eilat Bay area due to the storms. Localized rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue in the region in the coming hours, with a possibility of showers returning by evening as the storm front weakens.

Rain, ranging from light to moderate, is also forecast for the Negev and Arava on Sunday. However, more intense rainfall is anticipated in the eastern and southeastern parts of the country, particularly around the Dead Sea, by Sunday afternoon and evening, with a risk of flash floods in some areas.

Meanwhile, much of the country remained warm to hot on Saturday. Temperatures rose by one to two degrees Celsius in inland central and eastern areas compared to Friday. Jerusalem reached approximately 27 degrees Celsius, Beersheba hit 30 degrees, and Safed saw temperatures up to 29 degrees. Coastal areas like Tel Aviv and Haifa experienced stable 28-degree weather with high humidity up to 80 percent. The hottest locations were Beit She'an at 36 degrees and the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) area at 35 degrees. Water temperatures were 29 degrees in the Kinneret and 28 degrees in the Mediterranean Sea.