Israel's summer weather is expected to bring another surprise on Sunday.
Alongside the intense heat, local rain and isolated thunderstorms are expected starting in the afternoon, mainly in eastern Israel, as the Israel Meteorological Service has warned of possible flooding in the Judean Desert and Dead Sea area, the northern Arava, and the northeastern Negev.
Temperatures are expected to fall slightly on Monday, bringing some relief from the heat. Conditions will be partly cloudy, with temperatures slightly below average in the mountains and inland areas. Local rain will still be possible from the afternoon, mainly in the east.
Tuesday will be partly cloudy to clear, with no significant change in temperatures. On Wednesday, after morning cloud cover clears, conditions will become mostly clear, with temperatures rising slightly in the mountains and inland areas.
Alongside the rain, the Israel Meteorological Service issued an early red warning for extreme heat, which will remain in effect on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The warning 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. Elsewhere in the country, conditions will be partly cloudy to clear, with no significant temperature changes.
How rare is this unusual forecast?
The unusual forecast follows heavy rainfall in eastern Israel on Saturday, when large amounts of rain fell within a short period, causing flooding and flash floods.
About 26 mm of rain was recorded in Ma'ale Adumim, including 21 mm in just one hour. Flooding in eastern and southern Jerusalem neighborhoods required residents to be rescued from homes and vehicles, while about 15 mm fell in Gush Etzion over a short period.
A localized flash flood was recorded in the Judean Desert, while water flowed through the upper section of the Kidron Stream following rainfall in east Jerusalem.
Forecaster Danny Roup explained in a special column in Walla that light rain or drizzle during the summer months is not particularly unusual, but that the current event differs from a typical summer rain event.
According to Roup, atmospheric instability led to the development of clouds over southern and eastern Israel, producing large amounts of rain in a short period. Such conditions are more typical of September, October, and November.
The most unusual aspect of the event was the rainfall amount. Israel has documented only a handful of events in which more than 25 mm of rain fell in August since measurements began, including in the Golan Heights in 2012, Kfar Galim in 1971, and Zichron Ya'acov in 1920.
According to the data, the amount recorded in the Judean Desert is particularly unusual for August and may even represent a historic record in the area's rainfall measurements.
However, the event was highly localized. While heavy rain fell in parts of eastern and southern Jerusalem, only about 5 mm was recorded in the center of the capital, and most of the country did not experience unusual weather.
"Rain in summer, not rare. Rain like this in summer, definitely rare," Roup concluded.
According to Roup, a single weather event cannot be directly linked to climate change, but global warming is expected to result in more localized and extreme weather events.
Police prepare for road closures
Following the unusual rain, flooding, and flash floods, Judea and Samaria District police officers will be deployed along roads and major routes in at-risk areas.
According to police, the main risk of flooding in the Judean Desert streams and in the northern and southern Dead Sea areas is expected between noon and 6 p.m.
Police urged the public to plan trips in advance and adjust routes to the expected weather conditions. Hikers were also asked to avoid streams and hiking trails in areas at risk of flooding because of the danger of being swept away and the serious risk to life.
Later in the afternoon, the police blocked off Highway 90 between Mitzpe Shalem and the Dead Sea Hotels area due to the risk of flooding, later reopening the road at 6:30 p.m.
Police will issue updates on road closures and traffic disruptions throughout the day. Information on changes to traffic arrangements will also be available through the police information hotline at 110.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
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