Meteorologists offer little hope for an end to the drought that threatens Israel's diminishing water reserves. Temperatures will rise gradually Tuesday and Wednesday and then soar to springtime levels on Thursday and Friday. Daytime highs Tuesday will be 13 (55 F) in Jerusalem and 16-17 (61-63 F) in Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva. Israel has a tropical climate in which rain falls only in the current winter months.
The thermometer will reverse direction and drop sharply on the Sabbath, with the possibility of a short period of rain at night and early Sunday morning.