Extreme August Rainfall Hits Eastern Israel, Prompting Flood Warnings

Unusually heavy rainfall struck eastern Israel on the second consecutive day, with the Meteorological Service reporting unprecedented August precipitation in the Jordan Valley, eastern Samaria, and the Judean Desert. While the amounts were slightly lower than the 25-30 mm recorded the previous day, double-digit rainfall totals were still measured in the afternoon, including 12.4 mm in Gatit and 10.4 mm in the Jordan Valley. Rainfall intensity reached up to 1 mm per minute in some areas.

Clouds and rain gradually moved southward from eastern Samaria toward the Judean Desert, with about 8 mm falling in Nabi Musa. Developed clouds also caused rain south of there, over the stream basins north of Ein Gedi. The police issued urgent warnings to hikers due to the risk of flash floods, as heavy rains caused unusual stream flows for the season. Notably, the lower part of Nahal Og flowed again in the evening, as did nearby Nahal Kedem near Ein Gedi.

The Meteorological Service described the event as extremely rare for August and announced that a detailed report on this unusual natural phenomenon will be released tomorrow.