Israel braces for unusual weekend storm as authorities warn of flooding, flash floods

The preparations come amid forecasts for the weekend weather system, which indicate that wind gusts of 40-50 kph are expected as early as Saturday morning.

The Israel Fire and Rescue Authority is preparing with reinforced forces ahead of an unusual rain event expected to hit Israel this weekend, amid concerns over flash floods and flooding.

Following a situation assessment held on Thursday, Fire Commissioner Tafser Eyal Caspi instructed all districts to move to heightened readiness ahead of the peak of the storm system, expected overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

The preparations come amid forecasts for the weekend weather system, which indicate that wind gusts of 40-50 kph are expected as early as Saturday morning. A significant change in weather conditions is expected later in the day, with the storm expected to peak overnight and during the early morning hours of Sunday.

According to a forecast published by Walla, the event is expected to be an unusually severe rainstorm for this time of year, with the heaviest rainfall expected in areas including the northern coast, Sharon region, greater Tel Aviv area and the Shfela. At the height of the storm, 20-30 millimeters of rain could fall along the coast within a short period, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and even hail. There are concerns over urban flooding and disruptions in coastal cities.

'Unpredictable rain event' expected

Meteorological Service Director Dr. Amir Givati described the expected system as "an unprecedented rain event for this time of year." He said the weather could resemble the autumn season, with some areas expected to receive double-digit rainfall amounts.

"According to the Meteorological Service, this is a significant rain event," Eric Leibovitz, CEO of the Yarkon Drainage and Streams Authority, told 103FM. He said, "Starting Saturday night and until Sunday morning, we are entering a state of alert and making sure that all the specific actions that need to be taken have been carried out."

"This event goes beyond a localized incident, it is a warning sign regarding the intensive measures that need to be taken in the area to prevent flooding," Leibovitz said.

"In practice, Ayalon is closed today once every 10 years, but now with the current situation, where one-third of Ayalon's capacity is reduced, we expect that Ayalon will be closed close to once every three or four years. We are talking about the danger of flooding and the inability of urban neighborhoods to contain [the water], because Ayalon will be full and unable to drain," Leibovitz warned.

He added that neighborhoods in the greater Tel Aviv area could find themselves flooded even if they have not experienced flooding in the past, "because of failure points or bottlenecks in Ayalon in the southern part of the city."

"The problem is that the rain is becoming more powerful, in a shorter period of time, a larger amount of rain falls," he explained. As a result, he said, "we conducted an assessment and nearly 2,000 additional dunams could be flooded in the event of extreme rainfall."