Heavy snow has closed down the Mount Hermon ski site as the strongest storm of the winter begins to sweep through Israel. The Ministry of Agriculture expects four inches of rain to fall in the north by the end of the Sabbath, and the long-term forecast calls for more rain next week.

Light snow is expected to fall in the northern mountains Wednesday night and possibly in Jerusalem. The precipitation will be heaviest on Thursday and will fall in lesser amounts on Friday and the Sabbath.

Sunday will be partly cloudy, but more rain is forecast for Monday.