The cold front in our area has begun to give its signals and in the north it is already raining heavily • During the night even colder air will penetrate the country, it will become rainy and stormy in the center and snow will begin to fall in the northern mountains • Jerusalemites are holding fingers:
The cold and stormy winter system we have known for years began today (Tuesday), and with it the snow we so longed for.
Already at noon, the comfortable atmosphere outside was replaced by rain clouds that came into action, initially in Haifa and the Krayot and gradually these flowed to Jerusalem and Ashkelon.
In the evening, the rain spread from the north of the country to the northern Negev, accompanied by occasional thunderstorms.
This is what also happens during the night.
The cold front in our region - the result of cold air from Russia - began to be felt and give its signals.
During the night, even colder air will penetrate the country, it will become rainy and stormy and snow will begin in the northern mountains.
Towards morning the snow is expected to reach the peaks of the Judea and Samaria mountains - including Jerusalem.
In addition, there is a slight chance of snow on the high peaks of the Negev mountains.
The wind in the Mediterranean will be southwest - 55-25 km / h, along with gusts of up to 85 km / h.
The Mediterranean Sea will have high waves to stormy - 400-200 cm.
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Tomorrow will be rainy, very cold and windy.
If anyone wants to learn how unusual and atypical the cold will be, they should dress well this morning: 0 degrees expected in the Galilee, Safed and Meron.
In Jerusalem one degree will be measured, in Dimona and southern Arad - 2 degrees, in Carmel - 4 degrees and in sunny Eilat on most days of the year only 10 degrees will be measured.
Heavy rains fell from the north of the country to the Negev, accompanied by thunderstorms and hail.
Snow has fallen in the northern and central mountains, including Jerusalem and Safed, and is expected to pile up on the ground - probably significantly (there may be light snow on the Negev mountain peaks).
In practice there are two main "time windows" for snow in the capital: in the early morning, when insignificant snow is expected to "not get caught";
In the afternoon until Thursday morning - a reasonable chance that a few cm will be caught. A lower probability - according to the American model - indicates that even a double-digit number of cm may be caught in the capital.
Preparations of the Jerusalem Municipality for the snow that is expected to fall // Photo: Yoni Rickner
This is a rare event in Israeli terms.
Statistics show that only once every few years do we get such significant snow systems, except for exceptional years.
There is a grave fear of flooding in the coastal plain and lowland cities and floods in the eastern and southern streams.
Strong winds will blow, with gusts of up to 100 km / h (!) Along with fear of damage. The wind in the Mediterranean will be southwest to west - 70-40 km / h, and there may be gusts up to 100 km / h. Mediterranean state: will be exciting up to Turbulent - 350-800 cm.
On Thursday, the storm will gradually weaken, but it still rained intermittently from the north of the country to the Negev.
In the morning there may be snow in the northern and central mountains - including Jerusalem and Safed - and there may be light snow on the peaks of the Negev mountains.
There are fears of flooding in the eastern and southern streams and it will be very cold.
The wind in the Mediterranean will be southwest to west (45-25 km / h) and gusts of up to 60 km / h are possible.
On Friday it will be partly cloudy to cloudy and a little less cold, local rains will continue to fall and on Mount Hermon it will snow.
In the afternoon, the rains will decrease and weaken, first in the north and later in the center and south.
Saturday will be partly cloudy with a rise in temperatures.
There may be local and light rain.
On Sunday it will be partly cloudy to clear with a rise in temperatures.
In light of the storm, the Nature and Parks Authority emphasized that until the storm subsides, it is strictly forbidden to enter river channels by foot and car until the water level drops completely and that it is forbidden to approach the river during a flood for fear of a bank collapse.
In addition, descent of hiking trails marked by snow accumulation on the ground is prohibited.
The Jewish National Fund asks the public to refrain from reaching the JNF parks and forests, for fear of natural disasters.
Meanwhile, local authorities across the country and emergency and rescue organizations have completed final preparations for the unusual storm.
The Ministry of Transportation and the professional bodies conducted situation assessments to examine the readiness.
The National Public Transport Authority in the Ministry of Transportation is also preparing for any changes that may be required in the bus system due to the stormy weather.
The Ministry of Transportation will provide regular updates in the media on changes in public transportation and related bodies, following the expected weather.
There may be disruptions and changes in the schedules and route routes, please update at the National Information Center for Public Transportation, 8787 * and on the website.
In addition, Netivei Israel has deployed 60 teams throughout the country that are prepared to respond to road accidents.
Authorities are preparing
Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Municipality has opened the municipal preparation center where snow levels and salt sprinklers will be parked.
In addition, the municipal standby team will be concentrated there, which will provide a response as needed.
Jerusalem residents long for the snow to arrive after many years of waiting for the white flakes.
Michal, who lives with her husband and two children, 8.5-year-old Or and 6.5-year-old Eden in the Givat Masua neighborhood: "The excitement is at its peak. We have been waiting for snow for six years and believe it will come this time. We have prepared the winter clothes, and we plan to build a snowman with the children."
Meanwhile, the Golan Regional Council decided as early as noon to cancel the classes that were planned for today in the schools.
Kindergartens and dormitories in localities will operate to the extent that the staff members live in the same locality or in localities whose access will not be blocked.
Safed Municipality briefs drivers on the possibility of driving in the snow // Photo: Safed Municipality
And in Safed, Ziv Medical Center will work with an SUV company to move medical teams on routes that will be snowy or blocked to normal vehicle traffic.
The municipal hotline will be strengthened and a system has been prepared to locate freezing and salt distribution centers on the main arteries, with an emphasis on the traffic arteries to Ziv Medical Center and the military bases.
Also, after assessing the situation of the Education Department that took place yesterday, it was also decided in Safed to cancel the studies.
The transportation system of students studying in out-of-town educational settings will not be activated.
