Oppressive heat
Oppressive heatiStock

The heat wave which struck Israel over the past week is expected to break on Thursday - and on Sunday, there may be rain.

Wednesday will see extreme and oppressive heat around the country, and during the morning hours, strong eastern winds will blow in the country's mountainous regions. Most areas of the country will be hazy.

Thursday will see a slight drop in temperatures along the coastline and in the lowlands, but the oppressive heat will remain, only lessening significantly on Friday.

Friday and Saturday will be partly cloudy, with a significant drop in temperatures and a rise in humidity, especially along the coastline, in the lowlands, and in the northern Negev. Friday's temperatures will remain higher than seasonal average, and the weather will be hot and dry, especially in the mountains and inland regions. Saturday's temperatures will drop to seasonal average.

From Sunday until Monday morning, there may be rainfall in northern and central Israel, as a cold front reaches Israel from Europe. Temperatures will continue to drop.