Israel Faces Extreme Heat Before Unprecedented August Rainstorm Hits Weekend

Israel is experiencing intense heat on Thursday ahead of a significant and unusual rain event expected to begin late Saturday night. Temperatures remain well above seasonal averages, with heavy heat particularly in the mountains, inland areas, the Dead Sea, and the Arava region. Coastal areas will also see heavy heat and choppy Mediterranean seas with wave heights between 40 and 70 centimeters.

A slight temperature drop and relief from the heat are forecast for Friday, mainly in the mountains and inland. Saturday will see little temperature change but light rain or drizzle may begin in the north by morning. The major weather shift will start around midnight Saturday, with rain spreading from northern Israel to the center overnight. The peak of the storm is expected early Sunday morning, accompanied by lightning, thunderstorms, and localized hail.

Dr. Amir Givati, head of the Meteorological Service, noted that the storm's intensity is still uncertain and updates will follow. Some models predict heavy rainfall exceeding tens of millimeters even in central Israel, while others suggest a more moderate and northern-focused event. Rain will continue locally from northern Israel to the northern Negev through Sunday morning and midday, with strong winds and a marked temperature drop below seasonal norms, especially in the mountains and inland, easing the heat significantly.

This upcoming rain event is historically exceptional not only due to its volume but because it follows another significant rainfall earlier this month. August has never before recorded two rain events with over 10 millimeters each. If forecasts hold, this will be unprecedented in Israel's meteorological records. Earlier in August, heavy rains fell in northern Israel and near Jerusalem, with 21 millimeters recorded in one hour at Maale Adumim and a total of about 25 millimeters, an unusual amount for August.

The current storm may break the August rainfall record of 33 millimeters set in Kfar Galim on August 3, 1971. Unlike typical localized summer showers, this rain will cover a broad area from the north through the coastal plain and center down to the northern Negev, a distribution considered unprecedented for late August. Temperature forecasts for Thursday include Jerusalem at 23-33°C, Tel Aviv 25-32°C, Haifa 24-31°C, and Eilat 31-43°C.