Mount Hermon already covered in snow (file)
Mount Hermon already covered in snow (file)Basel Awidat/Flash 90

After a blustery Tuesday, the heavy winds and wintry weather are continuing full force on Wednesday, joined by local rains and snowfall which began in the morning on Mount Hermon in the north, Israel's only ski site.

The snow began falling from a height of 1,800 meters on Mount Hermon before starting on lower segments as well, leading the management to close the site to visitors. Currently the temperature stands at 0° C (32° F) and heavy winds are howling on the mountain, with the snow expected to continue throughout the day.

Local rains have been falling in the north and central region including Jerusalem, as well as in the northern Negev. Temperatures continue to drop to levels well below the seasonal norms.

The local rains are to continue overnight and on into Thursday, and the cold temperature likewise is set to stick around.

Then during the weekend the rains are predicted to stop and the temperature is to heat up somewhat. Friday is to be partially cloudy with a slight rise in temperatures, although the north may still receive a local drizzle. Shabbat is to feature high cloud coverage as the temperatures rise significantly, and the humidity drops.

The Water Authority reported Wednesday morning that the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) rose overnight by a centimeter, and currently stands at -212.5 meters. The lower red line level for the Kinneret is -213 meters, while the upper red line is -208.8 meters.

During the current rain system around 70 millimeters have fallen on the northern Hermon region and around 35 to 40 millimeters in the Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee.

Maximum temperatures for Wednesday are predicted to be 18° C (64° F) in Tel Aviv, 12° C (53° F) in Jerusalem, 16° C (60° F) in Haifa, 18° C in Be'er Sheva, 10° C (50° F) in Tzfat (Safed), and 27° C (80° F) in Eilat.