rain is returning
rain is returningFlash90

The winter rains returned to Israel Saturday after several days of clear skies. Weather forecasters say rain is expected to continue until Tuesday.

On Sunday, sporadic rainstorms are expected. In northern and central Israel the rain may be accompanied by thunderstorms.

Local rain showers are expected in the south and east. Rain may cause flooding in both regions, and hikers are advised to take care.

Temperatures are expected to drop during the day, and forecasters predict more snow in the Hermon.

Rain will continue intermittently on Sunday night and Monday, forecasters say. On Monday, too, rainfall may be accompanied by local thunderstorms, particularly in the north and center of the country. In southern Israel temperatures are expected to be unusually low for the season.

Tuesday will remain cold and rainy. On Wednesday, temperatures are expected to begin rising again, and no rainfall is predicted.

Rainy weather began late this year, leading the chief rabbis to urge the public to pray for rain. The heavy snow and rain that hit most of the country in mid-December brought a bounty of water, including a 10-centimeter rise in the surface of the Kinneret lake (Sea of Galilee), Israel's largest single source of fresh water.