The Israel Meteorological Service issued an early red warning for extreme heat and alerted the public to the risk of flooding on Sunday in the Judean Desert, Dead Sea area, northern Arava, and northeastern Negev, where local rain and isolated thunderstorms are forecast to develop from the afternoon. The warning follows heavy rain on Saturday that caused flooding and flash floods in eastern Israel, including about 26 mm recorded in Ma'ale Adumim — 21 mm of which fell within a single hour.
Israel Meteorological Service warns of flash flood risk as rare August storms follow record rainfall
The Israel Meteorological Service issued an early red warning for extreme heat and alerted the public to the risk of flooding on Sunday in the Judean Desert, Dead Sea area, northern Arava, and northeastern Negev, where local rain and isolated thunderstorms are forecast to develop from the afternoon. The warning follows heavy rain on Saturday that caused flooding and flash floods in eastern Israel, including about 26 mm recorded in Ma'ale Adumim — 21 mm of which fell within a single hour.
Saturday's rainfall required residents to be rescued from homes and vehicles in eastern and southern Jerusalem neighborhoods. About 15 mm fell in Gush Etzion over a short period, a localized flash flood was recorded in the Judean Desert, and water flowed through the upper section of the Kidron Stream following rainfall in east Jerusalem. Despite the intensity in those areas, only about 5 mm was recorded in the center of Jerusalem, and most of the country did not experience unusual weather.
Forecaster Danny Roup, writing in a special column in Walla, said the event differs from a typical summer rain event. He attributed it to atmospheric instability that led to cloud development over southern and eastern Israel, producing large amounts of rain in a short period — conditions he described as more typical of September, October, and November.
Israel has documented only a handful of events in which more than 25 mm of rain fell in August since measurements began, according to the article, citing instances in the Golan Heights in 2012, Kfar Galim in 1971, and Zichron Ya'acov in 1920. The amount recorded in the Judean Desert may represent a historic record for the area's rainfall measurements, though the event was highly localized.
The Sunday red heat warning runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and applies to the Beit She'an Valley, the Kinneret Valley, the Jordan Valley, the northern and southern Judean Desert and Dead Sea areas, and the northern Arava. Temperatures are expected to fall slightly on Monday, with partly cloudy conditions and temperatures slightly below average in mountains and inland areas. Tuesday is forecast to be partly cloudy to clear, and Wednesday mostly clear with a slight temperature rise in mountains and inland areas.
Judea and Samaria District police said officers will be deployed along roads and major routes in at-risk areas. Police identified the main flood risk window in Judean Desert streams and northern and southern Dead Sea areas as noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Police later began preparations to close Highway 90 due to flooding risk and urged hikers to avoid streams and trails in at-risk areas, citing serious risk to life. Updates on road closures will be available through the police information hotline at 110.
- The source does not state how many people were rescued from homes and vehicles in Jerusalem or whether any injuries or fatalities occurred.
- The source does not confirm whether the Judean Desert rainfall on Saturday has been formally certified as a historic record by the Israel Meteorological Service.
- The source does not state the specific temperature readings associated with the red heat warning or define the threshold used to trigger it.
- The source does not state when or whether Highway 90 was formally closed on Sunday, only that preparations to close it had begun.
- The source does not provide independent scientific verification of Roup's characterization of the event's rarity beyond the cases cited.
Read the original at The Jerusalem Post