Heavy snows have fallen in the Golan Heights and on Mt. Hermon. Schools and roads are closed and drivers are warned to exercise caution.
Snowfall accumulated in the northern Golan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, leading authorities to announce the closure of local schools and several main roads. Children were sent home from school early on Tuesday due to the impending blizzard.
Highway 91 is closed from Shirion Junction to Ein Zivan, Highway 959 from Waset Junction to El Rom, Road 978 from Waset to Mas'ada and Road 99 from the Mapal Saar Junction to Mas'ada.
Fish farmers in northern Israel report that the weather killed 2,000 tons of Amnon (St. Peter's Fish). Banana farmers are also reporting heavy losses.
The Mt. Hermon Ski Resort is not yet open for skiing. The snow can be viewed via the webcams on the resort's web site.
Rains on Tu B'Shvat, Storm A-Comin'
Badly needed rains felll in most areas of Israel over the Tu B'Shvat New Year for trees Monday night and Tuesday. Approximately three-quarters of an inch of rain fell in the several sections of Israel from Monday night through Wednesday morning, including the western Galilee and the southern Hevron Hills.
Weather forecasters report that current maps show a large winter storm heading for the region over the weekend. Temperatures will rise on Thursday, but rain is expected to fall on the Sabbath, accompanied by near-freezing temperatures. The longer-term forecast calls for the storm to intensify through the middle of next week, with the possibility of more snow in the north.
The operators of the Hermon Ski Resort say one more day of snowfall will be enough to open the slopes to the public.