Israel battles extreme storm chaos with heroic rescue efforts as unprecedented rainfall engulfs major cities.
Storm Byron continued hammering large parts of Israel on Thursday, delivering a punishing combination of torrential rain, gale-force winds, and rapid urban flooding that overwhelmed cities from Greater Tel Aviv to the Carmel Coast.
Beginning in the afternoon, the system intensified sharply, dumping extraordinary rainfall across densely populated regions. Greater Tel Aviv was hit hardest, with Rishon LeZion, Rehovot, and Tel Aviv reporting widespread flooding. MDA crews rushed to numerous scenes where vehicles were swallowed by rising waters, rescuing trapped drivers as streets turned into rivers. Rishon LeZion alone saw 40 mm of rainfall in just two hours, while Ashdod endured a staggering 13 mm in ten minutes.
Northern Israel and the Carmel region absorbed equally dramatic totals. Since the onset of the storm, Nahal Me’arot Reserve recorded 205 mm, including 94 mm in the last day alone. Atlit registered 193 mm, and Haifa surpassed 130 mm. In Yavne, where 37.4 mm fell within two hours, flash floods prompted multiple rescues—14 people were safely evacuated from eight separate incidents, all unharmed.
A Rami Levy supermarket in Yavne flooded rapidly as runoff surged through streets. Mayor Roei Gabay declared a “state of emergency,” urging residents to stay home. Within hours, teams restored traffic flow, though he emphasized the extraordinary precipitation: “We saw an hour of rainfall at levels never recorded in Yavne.”
The Israel Meteorological Service warned that rainfall would continue spreading inland, raising alarms for flash floods in the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea region. The Sa’ar waterfall burst into powerful flow, and snowfall dusted Mount Hermon—clear indicators of the storm’s intensity.
Dr. Amit Givati, head of the Meteorological Service, stressed caution:
“We are entering the storm’s peak in central Israel. This is a prolonged and powerful system. The flood risk is real and immediate.”
Local showers are expected to persist tomorrow across Israel—from the northern border to the Negev—with thunderstorms possible on the coastal plain and renewed flood danger in southern streams. Rainfall is forecast to weaken toward evening.
Weekend Outlook
- Saturday: Conditions stabilize; light rain possible in northern and central regions. Temperatures rise.
- Sunday: No significant changes expected.
Rainfall Totals – Past 48 Hours
Northern Israel
- Ein Carmel (near Atlit): 143 mm – highest recorded
- Haifa: 116 mm
- Zichron Yaakov: 94 mm
- Nahariya: 49 mm
- Karmiel: 42 mm
- Kfar Giladi: 33 mm
- Tiberias: 14 mm
Central Israel
- Rishon LeZion: 77 mm (24 hours)
- Tel Aviv: 62 mm
- Hadera: 42 mm
Southern Coastal Plain & Northern Negev
- Sderot: 52 mm
- Ashkelon: 42 mm
Jerusalem & South
- Jerusalem: 20 mm
- Be’er Sheva: 11 mm
Israel’s emergency teams remain on high alert as Storm Byron pushes the country’s infrastructure and response systems to their limits—yet once again showcasing Israel’s resilience, preparedness, and rapid mobilization in the face of extreme natural challenges.
