The first rains of winter 2025–2026 shattered a 93-year-old record in northern Israel, flooding Nahariya but showcasing the land’s climate extremes and resilience.
Israel has begun winter 2025–2026 with a dramatic display of nature’s power: a record-shattering downpour that broke a rainfall mark standing since 1932.
Until Thursday, September 12, the heaviest September rain ever recorded in Israel was 95.7 mm in one day. That record has now been eclipsed, as more than 100 mm fell within 24 hours in the Nahariya region, with nearly that total arriving in just an hour and a half.
The numbers stunned meteorologists:
- 86 mm in one hour in Nahariya.
- 74 mm in one hour in Shavei Zion.
- 52 mm in one hour in Akko (Acre).
- 25 mm in one hour in Kfar Hasidim.
- Shavei Zion also clocked 30 mm in 30 minutes and a cumulative 54 mm since Wednesday.
Local authorities rushed to deal with flooding in Nahariya, where streets briefly turned into rivers. Yet no serious casualties were reported, a testament to Israel’s rapid-response infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Afula also saw its first showers of the season, though no records were broken there. Forecasts predict the rain will taper off by Thursday evening, with temperatures rising slightly on Friday. By Saturday, Israelis can expect a return of heavy heat — a reminder of the country’s unique climate extremes, where record floods can be followed by desert-like conditions within days.
For many Israelis, the record-breaking rain is more than a weather event. It’s a vivid reminder of the biblical promise of renewal in the Land of Israel, where the early rains (“yoreh”) are seen as a blessing for the year ahead.
