Thunder, lightning bring in heavy rains across country

After a weekend of heat and dusty winds, rain returns to Israel; up to 10 mm precipitation in Upper Galilee; flooding possible in Negev.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Rain drops 311 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Rain drops 311
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Only days after sunny skies and hot, sandy winds, rain returned to Israel for, potentially, the last time this season. Sunday night, thunder and lightning preceded torrential rains that entered in from the Mediterranean and spread throughout the country, dumping as much as 10 millimeters (mm) in the Upper Galilee by Monday morning.
Continuing today, rain is expected in the North and also scattered showers are predicted in the country's Center and Negev regions. Floods may occur in the country's south.
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An average of around 8 mm of rain fell in the Upper Galilee by the morning hours Monday, with around 1 mm falling in Tel Aviv, 1 mm falling Jerusalem, 2.5 mm in Afula, and 4 mm falling in Haifa and the Carmel, according to the Israel Meteorological Service.
Temperatures were colder than the season average as well Monday, dropping to 13 degrees Celsius in Tel Aviv, 9 degrees in Haifa, 9 degrees in Jerusalem, 14 in Beersheba, and 17 in Eilat.
As of the last storms in Israel, the Kinneret surpassed the bottom red line as tributary streams drained into it. The lake had risen 17 centimeters at the beginning of March, the sharpest rise of the year.
The Kinneret is expected to drop back down below the bottom red line by the end of April or early May. By the end of the summer, the lake will likely be back down close to the black line, the Water Authority said.
Ehud Zion Waldoks contributed to this report.