This week's monstrous storm has helped bring badly needed water to Israel's underground aquifer systems and the Kinneret, which has risen an additional four centimeters. Run-off from mountain streams and melting snow is expected to add another 25 centimeters in the next several days. However, even after the run-off, the lake still will be lacking more than three meters, and water authority officials are hoping for more rains before the winter fades away.

This week's storm brought the accumulated rainfall in most areas of the country to between 85 and 100 percent of the average for this time of year. Be'er Sheva is the only area seriously under the average.