Meteorologists predict that badly needed rain may fall eight consecutive days except for a one-day break on Tuesday, with a good possibility of snow at the end of next week. Rain began falling in the northern regions before dawn Friday and already has spread to Jerusalem, accompanied by high winds.

The storm will grow in intensity towards evening, with scattered hail and thunderstorms and snowstorms on the Hermon and possibly on the northern Golan Heights. The rain will become lighter Saturday night and fall mainly in the center and southern regions. Four inches of rain are expected in the north, two to three inches on the Mediterranean Coast and up to one inch in the northern Negev.

On Sunday occasional rain will become stronger at night and taper off Monday afternoon. After the respite on Tuesday, another storm may move into the region, bringing further precipitation turning to snow on Friday.