Heat and downpours at once — Israel braces for more bad weather

On Sunday, August 16, eastern Israel is expected to see local rains and thunderstorms alongside intense heat. The meteorological service warns of flood risk in the Judean Desert, near the Dead Sea, in the northern Arava, and in the northeastern Negev. Police are reinforcing forces due to the flood threat. On Saturday, heavy rains hit the east: Ma'ale Adumim recorded about 26 mm of precipitation, 21 mm in one hour. Forecaster Danny Rupp called the phenomenon rare for August.

On Sunday, August 16, Israel faced an unusual weather phenomenon: in the east of the country, local rains and isolated thunderstorms are expected alongside intense heat. The meteorological service issued a red heat-load warning effective from 11:00 to 22:00 and warns of flood danger in the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea area, the northern Arava, and the northeastern Negev. The Judea and Samaria district police will deploy additional forces on main roads, with the highest risk of river flooding expected from 12:00 to 18:00. The cause was the heavy rains that fell on Saturday in the east. In Ma'ale Adumim, about 26 mm of precipitation was recorded, with 21 mm falling in one hour. In eastern and southern areas of Jerusalem, flooding occurred, and rescue teams evacuated people. In Gush Etzion, about 15 mm of rain fell. Forecaster Danny Rupp noted that summer rain is not rare, but such rain is definitely a rarity. Cases where more than 25 mm falls in August have been recorded only a few times: on the Golan Heights in 2012, in Kfar Galim in 1971, and in Zikhron Ya'akov in 1920. The amount of precipitation in the Judean Desert could become a historical record for August. Rupp stressed that a single episode cannot be linked to climate change, but global warming may increase the number of local extreme events. Police urged residents to plan trips and stay away from riverbeds.