A brief but intense storm has arrived and is already causing damage. A man in his 40s was killed on Friday during kite surfing near the shores of Rishon LeZion after suffering critical injuries. Magen David Adom teams performed resuscitation efforts but were forced to pronounce him dead. Another 46-year-old man injured in the incident was evacuated to Wolfson Hospital in light condition.
Storm damage was also recorded at multiple locations. In Ashkelon, Herzliya, Rishon LeZion, and Tel Aviv, trees collapsed, resulting in two men being moderately injured and evacuated to hospitals. A tree also collapsed in Bnei Brak. Meanwhile, Route 90 was blocked to vehicle traffic from Dargot Junction to the Dead Sea hotels due to flooding and serious safety concerns for road users.
Aviation was also affected by the weather. Arkia flight IZ212 from Athens to Tel Aviv was diverted to Larnaca due to stormy weather in Israel. The aircraft will land in Larnaca for refueling before continuing its journey back to Ben Gurion International Airport.
According to the forecast, the current rain system will begin to subside in the evening hours after Shabbat begins. Until then, very strong winds are expected to reach their peak toward evening, with wind gusts of 100 to 115 kilometers per hour (62-71 miles per hour) along the coast and in the lowlands, and approximately 90 to 100 kilometers per hour (56-62 miles per hour) in the mountains.
The following is a breakdown of wind speeds: Hadera Port 105 kilometers per hour (65 miles per hour), Tel Aviv 97 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour), Safed 97 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour), Ashdod 96 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour).
Rain began falling across northern Israel on Thursday and continued into Friday, then spread southward to the central regions. The precipitation will persist after Shabbat begins but will steadily diminish. As Shabbat draws to a close, rainfall will intensify once more, delivering substantial precipitation overnight. The rain will taper off by morning, with Sunday bringing a temporary lull before another system arrives Monday.
Wind conditions warrant close attention, as standard velocities across the coastal plain and lowlands will crest at 60 km/h (37 mph). Mountain zones will experience fiercer gusts, peaking at 70 km/h (43 mph) with potential bursts reaching 100 km/h (62 mph).
Friday will bring sporadic rainfall punctuated by isolated thunderstorms from northern Israel down to the northern Negev. Powerful gusts will sweep through, rendering the sea treacherous for swimmers and even vessels. Flash flooding threatens the wadis of the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea. Temperatures will plunge noticeably yet remain seasonally appropriate. Evening and overnight hours (Friday into Saturday) will see precipitation weakening and gradually subsiding.
Saturday will deliver partial to substantial cloud cover. Throughout the day, scattered light showers may still affect northern and central Israel. Temperatures will hold at seasonal norms. As evening approaches, rainfall is forecast to strengthen anew, especially across northern Israel and the coastal plain.
Sunday will transition to partly cloudy or clear skies. Morning hours may still produce scattered light showers in northern Israel and along the coast. A slight temperature increase is anticipated.
