Snowfall in Israel

Snow in Jerusalem, December 2013

Snowfall in Israel is not uncommon but occurs mainly in certain parts of the country. In January and February 1950, Israel experienced the largest snowfall registered since the beginning of meteorological measurements in 1870.

History

Snow at Kibbutz Gan Shmuel, 1950

The snow event began in early January 1950 with a hailstorm in Tel Aviv and light snow in the mountains of the Upper Galilee and Jerusalem.[1]

Downtown Jerusalem in snow

On January 27, it began to snow in the northern mountains and Jerusalem. It piled up but quickly melted. A cold front spread throughout the country and snow began falling in the mountains of Samaria and the West. On the 28th it snowed in Haifa and piled up to a height of 15 cm. Even in Tel Aviv, snow fell for several minutes.[2] On January 29, it snowed again in Haifa, blanketing most of the city in white.[3]

Hailstones in Sakhnin

A week later, on February 6–7, heavy snow began to fall across the country. The depth reached 60 cm in Safed, Jerusalem and 100 cm, and 17 cm in Haifa, and 12 –19 cm in Tel Aviv and Lod; it also snowed in Petah Tikva, Netanya and Samaria, in Rishon Lezion's streets, on the mountains surrounding the Sea of Galilee, and in the Negev.[4] On February 8, the snow also came to the Dead Sea, where 8 cm of snow was reported.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cold wave moves in the Middle East, Al HaMishmar (January 16, 1950)
  2. ↑ And the country wore whiteness, Al HaMishmar (January 29, 1950)
  3. ↑ Haifa wearing snow..., Al HaMishmar (January 30, 1950)
  4. ↑ Snow across the country, Al HaMishmar (February 6, 1950)
  5. ↑ Snow on Dead Sea coast, Al HaMishmar (February 9, 1950)

External links

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