Not quite a winter wonderland

Dangerous winds topple trees on power lines, heavy rains, sleet, snow hit the country.

Stormy weather jerusalem 311 AJ (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Stormy weather jerusalem 311 AJ
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Sleet and heavy downpours pelted the coats and drenched the shoes of Jerusalemites throughout Wednesday afternoon amid dangerously strong, umbrella-snatching winds, while an ongoing snowstorm blanketed the country’s North.

Through Thursday, there will continue to be snow over the northern mountains and Mount Hermon in particular, and there will be a chance of snow in the central mountains, including in Jerusalem, according to the Israel Meteorological Service.Due to snow, authorities closed the Mount Hermon ski slopes, and the resort staff said they expected the conditions to continue on Thursday.Showers will drench the country from the North to the Negev throughout the day, with unseasonably brisk temperatures and risks of flash-flooding, the weather service said.For Friday, the IMS warned that temperatures will remain colder than usual, with strong gusts and occasional rain from north to south.Snow is also likely over the northern mountains and possible over the central mountains, with a possibility of hitting Jerusalem and the northern Negev mountains as well.The Jerusalem Municipality prepared its emergency storm equipment in a limited capacity on Wednesday by getting ready the tractors and