“…. I will give rain for your land at the proper time, the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine and your oil.” (Deuteronomy 11:13-21)
The winter rains arrived right on schedule this Thursday, sweeping through northern Israel and then spreading to the central region before reaching the Negev.
In the south and eastern parts of the country, forecasters warned residents to beware of flash floods, in particular in the dry desert areas around the Dead Sea, where low-lying roads are easily flooded.
Foreign hikers and tourists driving through the area are often suddenly caught unawares during such rainstorms.
The rain was expected to be accompanied by a rise in the temperatures, and high winds, but forecasters said the mercury would drop to seasonal levels by Friday with the rain tapering off.