"August Has Only Started": Heat Wave Reaches Its Peak—How Will It Affect the Winter?
The heat wave affecting Israel since Thursday reaches its peak today (Sunday) and is expected to subside in two days. According to the head of the meteorological service, additional heat waves are possible later in August, and the interaction between the warm Mediterranean Sea and autumn cooling may lead to extreme weather events later this year.
The end is in sight: the heat wave that has been affecting Israel since Thursday reaches its peak today (Sunday), but is expected to subside the day after tomorrow. At the moment, there are no extreme temperatures on the horizon. These remarks were made in the ynet studio by the head of the meteorological service, Dr. Amir Givati, who added that it is still likely that there will be more heat waves later in August.
“We went through a very hot Saturday, with 36 degrees in Jerusalem and a peak of 45.2 degrees in the Jordan Valley,” said Dr. Givati. “Many areas crossed the 40-degree mark, including places where this is unusual, such as Kibbutz Dafna in the north. Along the coast and in the Gush Dan area, humidity was the main factor. Today there will be another rise of one degree, and tomorrow we will begin a slow decline. From Tuesday, it will be more significant, and we do not see another extreme heat wave in the next ten days.”
What about the rest of the summer? “In my view, since this is not yet backed by models, we will still feel heat waves, maybe even bigger ones. There is a high chance that the August that started yesterday will end with more heat waves. I remind you that last year it happened precisely toward the end of August. So the optimistic message is that in the coming week there will be no renewal of the heat wave, but August has only started. We see what is happening in Europe, and this can definitely seep here as well.”
Will such a summer affect what we see in autumn or winter? More flooding, more concentrated days of rain? “Definitely. October is approaching quickly, and then more cool air from Europe will start to arrive. This meeting with the Mediterranean Sea, which is very warm relative to normal, and the El Niño phenomenon are expected to cause extreme weather events. At first to the north of us in the Mediterranean area, and then also with us. We are definitely expecting, starting in October and November, rain with strong intensity and flooding. But for now, we have 6–8 weeks of warm weather.”
Today, there will be a slight rise in temperatures. It will be hot in the mountains and in the interior, and sultry in the coastal plain. From the afternoon, winds will strengthen. Tomorrow (Monday) there will be a slight drop in heat levels, but it will continue to be warmer than usual. On Tuesday, temperatures are expected to drop again, and by Wednesday, they will return to seasonal norms.
Predicted temperatures today and tonight: Jerusalem 24–34, Tel Aviv 26–34, Haifa 26–33, Safed 26–35, Qatzrin 24–40, Tiberias 25–41, Nazareth 25–37, Afula 24–39, Beit She’an 28–42, Lod 25–35, Ashdod 25–33, Ein Gedi 31–42, Be’er Sheva 24–37, Mizpe Ramon 26–37, Eilat 32–43.
Regarding the heat waves in Europe, Dr. Givati added: “What is happening there is unprecedented. Over the weekend, the hottest day in the history of Central Europe occurred. In Hungary, they broke a record of 40–41 degrees. They did not expect such a level of drought and heat affecting their rivers, which are at low levels, impacting electricity supply. Fires have broken out in Spain, France, Italy, and now Greece. Israel is better prepared for heat waves, but I remind you of the instruction to prohibit lighting fires in open areas for at least the next two days, as it is very dry and any small spark can lead to fires.”
