Examination: What Was Israel's Harshest Winter, and How Much Rain Fell?

Winters in Israel can be unpredictable and at times extreme. One of the most memorable particularly rainy seasons was the winter of 1992. That year, exceptional rainfall amounts exceeding 1,000 mm were recorded in the north of the country, while the central and southern regions experienced unprecedented floods. Cities like Tel Aviv and Haifa were flooded, and even the water level of the Dead Sea, which suffers from high evaporation, rose significantly.

Another well-remembered winter is that of 2013, during which a historic snowstorm hit Jerusalem and other high-altitude areas in the country. Jerusalem was covered with a thick layer of snow, and the rain measurements for that season indicated particularly high averages of over 900 mm in some places.

Last year's harsh winter, which included three weeks of continuous rain, is not considered particularly extreme. The average rainfall was close to the multi-year average, with a limited number of rainy days. Nevertheless, there were notable instances of severe weather, such as thunderstorms and lightning in various regions. In the Western Galilee area, about 120 mm of rain was measured in less than a day.

Rainfall records over the years highlight the challenges the weather poses. While the harsh winters brought a blessed amount of water to the country's reservoirs, they also created problems such as flooding, flash floods, and infrastructure damage. Preparations for such winters improve year by year, with investments in drainage infrastructure and improvement of warning systems.

As climate changes continue, Israel may experience additional unusual winter events in the future. Will the upcoming year bring a particularly rainy winter or a more moderate one? As of now, rainfall amounts have been below normal for the season, even though we are at the end of January.