Winter is still here: The storm that began last night continues today (Thursday) and rain continues to fall across the country accompanied by thunderstorms. There may be hail showers later in the day. Temperatures will drop and will be slightly lower than the average for the season. There are floods in many streams in the southern region. Towards the evening and night, the rain will weaken, but during the night, local rain will continue to fall in the north and central Israel.
The Meteorological Service announced this morning that the amount of precipitation that fell in the past 24 hours placed it as the rainiest 24 hours in May since measurements began in 1920. Precipitation was measured at every measuring station in Israel, and the national average is 25 millimeters of rainfall. The peak was in Kibbutz Tzora in the Jerusalem area, where 82 millimeters of rain fell.
The heavy rains that have been falling since last night have caused floods in the Arava and Judean Desert rivers, which have overflowed their banks and flooded roads. Heavy rains have also been falling in the central region since last night, causing traffic congestion and damage to property and agriculture. During the night, about 70 American hikers, all about 18 years old, were stranded near the Nakharot Stream in the Arava.
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Rescue unit volunteers arrived at the stream at night and worked to rescue the hikers, from the "Bnei Akiva" movement, who were stuck in the sand parking lot next to the stream. Two helicopter rounds with a team of volunteers from the Arava Rescue Unit began rescuing the boys. The condition of the boys who were stuck is described as good. The unit's teams are preparing to enter in vehicles to rescue the remaining members of the group.
Between Nahal Tze'elim and Nahal Hever, three buses carrying 126 tourists from Thailand who were on their way from Jordan to Ein Gedi got stuck. Rescuers gave them water and are looking for food sources to give them - until the road opens and their rescue is possible.
Since this morning, dozens of inquiries have also been received from farmers from all over the country about damage caused by the rainy and stormy weather that began last night. The bulk of the damage reported so far was caused by hail and rain, according to the Agricultural Natural Damage Insurance Fund. The fund's CEO estimates that the damage to agriculture amounts to millions of shekels.
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Meteorological Service forecaster Oren Davidoff explains that we are being affected by an active Red Sea channel accompanied by a Brom channel – which brings moisture from the tropical regions. Unlike winter systems, the current system, which is already bringing rain all over the country, is characterized by medium and high cloudiness coming from the south. However, this rapidly developing cloudiness is bringing heavy rain and even hail, which may be significant. "This is not something unusual for the season, which is a transitional season," he says.
According to the forecast, the system will last until the afternoon. Along with the rain, the winds have strengthened. Temperatures, which just the day before yesterday exceeded 30 degrees throughout the country, are significantly lower than normal for the season. The predicted temperatures: in Jerusalem - 18, in Tel Aviv - 20, in Haifa - 20, in Tiberias - 24, in Safed - 20, in Be'er Sheva - 20, in Mitzpe Ramon - 18, and in Eilat 26 degrees.
According to the Meteorological Service, starting this evening the system will weaken, and the rain, which will fall at lower intensities, will focus on the north. Remnants of rain will accompany us on Friday as well, until clearing up on Friday evening.
Is the rain that falls during this period good?
In the book 'Nofat Tzofim' by Rabbi Pinchas Koritz zt"l it is written: "The rains from Pesach until Atzeret are a great cure for all ailments, a cure that you have no cure like it in all the conditions of cures. That is: to stand in the rain and uncover one's head a little, so that the rain falls on one's head, and also to open one's mouth so that the rain falls into one's mouth from the right.".
