The storm is in full swing: the storm “Alfis” Arrived in Israel today (Wednesday) in full force with heavy rains, hailstorms, strong winds and extremely cold air, which causes snow to fall in all of Israel’s mountains over 600 meters – in the Golan, Galilee, Benjamin, Hebron and Gush Etzion, including Clear snow falling at this time In Jerusalem And getting stronger, And in some neighborhoods even significant piling has begun on the ground.
Following the accumulation of snow and ice on the roads, Road 1 Jerusalem-Tel Aviv was closed between the Jerusalem Junction (Sakharov) junction and the Sha’ar HaGai interchange in both directions. The Cedars Tunnel at the exit from Jerusalem was also closed. .
Participated in the preparation of the article: Alon Hachmon, Moshe Cohen, Yuval Begnu, Arik Bender
Road 1 is closed to traffic following the snow in Jerusalem (Photo: Police Spokeswoman)
Snow at the Western Wall in Jerusalem (Photo: Western Wall Heritage Foundation)
Following the weather, an unusual event was recorded in Petah Tikva: A eucalyptus tree collapsed on a high voltage grid of the IEC, the line was damaged and as a result there are a significant number of areas without electricity. The IEC said that the IEC staff in the area are doing everything possible to repair the damage and return the electricity supply to the residents as soon as possible.
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A tree collapsed in Petah Tikva (Photo: IEC)Heavy snow is falling In the Golan Heights, on Mount Hermon A blizzard andIn Majdal Shams At least 15 centimeters were piled up, and in the upper neighborhoods, piles of close to 60 centimeters were recorded. Heavy snow began to fall on the peaks as well The Galilee Mountains and also In Safed Heavy snow fell on the ground.
Heavy snow began to fall and even pile up in the settlements Gush Etzion and also In Jerusalem, Where heavy snow falls that has begun to pile up in the high neighborhoods. The snow in the capital is expected to intensify and continue into the night, and significant accumulation is even expected. also In Hebron Heavy snow began to fall and so did In the mountains of Benjamin, Among other things In Beit El And in other places.
Heavy snow in Beit Vagan, Jerusalem (Photo: The Point Journalist Network)
Snow in Givat Shaul, Jerusalem (Photo: The Point Journalist Network)
Following the snow, the Jerusalem municipality announced that tomorrow the studies at the city’s educational institutions, including day care centers, will be canceled, except for the matriculation exam, which will take place at 11:00. This, after an assessment of the situation that took place tonight led by the mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Leon, and the mayor of the municipality, Itzik Larif, after consultation with the parents’ leadership and all education officials in the city and in light of receiving an updated forecast.
Snow began to fall in the Gilo neighborhood, Jerusalem (Photo: The Point Network)
Snow in Alon Shvut (Photo: Yaakov Lipkin)
Following the snow: Many roads were blocked
Police updated roadblocks due to weather:
In the north – Road 98 from the Bashan junction to the north, Road 91 from Kedmat Upper Zvi to the north, Road 959 Tzuk Oravim junction to Kela, Road 978 from West to Kela, Road 99 from Sion junction to the north, Road 89 from Meron Square to Ein Zeitim and Hurfish to Sasa, Road 866 Improves to Safed and Road 886 from Dalton to Rihaniya To develop.
In the area Jerusalem – Due to the accumulation of snow and ice on the roads, Road 1 Jerusalem-Tel Aviv between the entrance junction to the city of Jerusalem (Sakharov) to the Sha’ar HaGai interchange in both directions was closed. The directions.
Road 375 from Etziona to Tzur Hadassah, Road 386 from Tzur Hadassah to Nes Harim, Road 395 from Eshtaol to the north of Mount Eitan. The Ein Yael axis to Mount Gilo and the tunnel road from the Rosemaryn junction to Gush Etzion are still blocked for traffic in both directions. Axis 60 from the tunnel checkpoint and south was closed to traffic due to snow, Road 35 was blocked from a furrow to Adora, and Road 367 from Hills towards the Gush Katif junction.
Also, after the public transportation was stopped, Israel Railways announced that it would operate special trains between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, on a full method and travel throughout the night. The trains will serve the passengers required to get to or leave Jerusalem in the direction of the center.
Snow in Gush Etzion (Credit: Gush Etzion Regional Council Spokeswoman)
Snow in Safed (Photo: Villa Galilei)
Meanwhile, the IEC updated that the evening at 18:22 was broken The all-time record of power consumption And it stood at 14,805 MW. As you may recall, the last record was broken last week and stood at 14735 MW while the previous record in the winter of 2020 stood at 13,182 MW.
Meteo-Tech has updated that The highest precipitation rate in Israel It is 71 degrees. Safed with 58, Haifa 45, North Golan with 33, Zichron Yaacov 32, Nahalal 25, Jerusalem 17, Tel Aviv 15 and Kiryat Gat 12.
A snowstorm in Ein Zivan (Photo: Ein Zivan Tourism)
in Ramat Hagolan Heavy snowfall is expected to continue into the night. The snow headquarters of the regional council has updated that tomorrow the studies at the educational institutions in the northern Golan will also be taught in a format of distance learning and there will be no student transportation. Kindergartens and nurseries will operate in a local framework if possible, while leisure activities and classes will not take place in the Avital cluster.
Council Chairman Haim Rokach: “The first day of the Elfis storm passed successfully. We were prepared for the storm to arrive. The staff of the council and of the various bodies, including the Israel Police, Nati, and the IDF, left in the early morning, before daylight, and the residents could go to work safely. After the morning snow.
“From the afternoon we see the strengthening of the storm and therefore as part of the assessments, also tomorrow we canceled the studies in some schools and also the transportation of students from the northern Golan settlements for fear of their safety and travel, when the road may be frozen and slippery. There will also be changes to public transport lines. I ask those who do not have to, avoid traveling and getting to the area until the storm calms down. After the storm, the White Golan will be waiting for you all! “
Heavy snow piled up in Majdal Shams (Photo: Zaid Abu Jabal, the contractor of the north)
Heavy snow in Majdal Shams (Photo: Kabbalah North)
Heavy snow in the Golan Heights, near Kibbutz Ortal (Photo: Haim Rokach’s car camera)
At the Hermon site It was reported that heavy snow was falling on the spot and that it was estimated over a meter of snow had fallen so far. The site workers, snow cat drivers, are now compacting the snow at the site under harsh working conditions, zero visibility and strong winds. In this way, the workers help to prepare the tracks even in the harsh ‘Elfis’ storm, since each such trip tightens and leaves the snow on the track, and in fact helps it to be caught on the existing layer.
Snow on Mount Hermon. Photo: Hermon site
Snow on the Shaal (Photo by Profit)
Changes in public transportation
also There are changes in public transportation In areas where it snowed, including the north of the country, Jerusalem and the mountain area. Municipal service within Jerusalem Stopped due to snow accumulation on the roads and so were all the intercity trips from Jerusalem. However, train traffic as well as light rail still operate as a series.
In SafedThe municipal service will continue in accordance with the weather conditions, but the intercity service to and from Safed will be discontinued. Beitar Elite, The intercity service towards Jerusalem was stopped and so was the municipal service.
Egged Transport also announced that due to the danger of slipping and blocking roads, The termination of transportation services in the evening is expected at the following locations: Kiryat Arba, Gush Etzion, Mateh Binyamin, Samaria, Efrat, Givat Zeev, Mount Hebron, Jerusalem and Ariel Corridor. The service between Jerusalem to Mevaseret Zion, Ma’ale Adumim, Modi’in Illit and Beit Shemesh is also expected.
Police prepare for snow in the north (Photo: Police spokeswoman)In MDA, too, the teams began to prepare for work under snow. Double-propulsion ambulances (4 × 4) and special jeep ambulances with snow chains were deployed in the designated areas, in order to provide a quick and effective medical response in places where it would be difficult to get around due to the weather. The shifts in medics and paramedics will be intensified, in order to provide a medical solution if the demand for MDA services increases. All this along with guidelines for safe driving in rain and snow, which were distributed to MDA teams.
MDA ambulance in the snow (Photo: MDA spokeswoman)
Heavy snow on Mount Hermon (Photo: Mount Hermon)In the Gush Etzion Regional Council, Netivei Israel has deployed snow removal vehicles at designated locations in order to open the arteries that may be blocked in the snow. In addition, students in the council’s education system finished the school day at 1:15 p.m. The council advises drivers to advance the ride on the lanes to noon in order to avoid blocked lanes and dangerous situations.
The head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, Shlomo Ne’eman, said at the snow preparation meeting: “Snowfall in Gush Etzion is a special event in the council. “We consider this very important and will fulfill the required tasks in all seriousness. The public is invited to come with their children to us, play in the snow and enjoy this beautiful region of the country. The main thing – drive carefully.”
Heavy snow in Gush Etzion (Photo: Gush Etzion Regional Council spokeswoman)
Minister of Welfare: “Fund a 3-night stay in a boarding house for the residents of the street”
Minister of Welfare and Social Security Meir Cohen Talked with Ben Caspit and Aryeh Eldad on 103FM about preparing to help the elderly and welfare populations during the Elphis storm: “All welfare teams in the country are preparing to help populations, especially the elderly and street dwellers, families with severe needs and also people with disabilities. All populations these days need special attention.” .
“We allowed all the heads of the welfare departments to take the residents of the street and fund a 3-night stay in a boarding house and hotels. The guys from the welfare are there, the main thing is to save their lives,” said Minister Cohen. “We know most of them – and we get to them, take care of food and hot drinks, coats and everything we need. I pray to God that we will go through this challenging experience when everyone is whole and healthy.”
Weather forecast for the rest of the week
on the day Fifth In the morning it will be rainy and windy from the north to the Negev, and it will snow in the mountains. During the morning, the snow in the mountains will be replaced by rain, except on Mount Hermon, the northern Golan Heights and Mount Meron. There is a risk of flooding and flooding in streams. It will continue to be colder than usual for the season, the winds will weaken but strong winds are still expected up to 55 km / h.
Bsixth It rained from time to time from the north of the country to the northern Negev, and there is still a fear of floods and flooding in the festival sites, snow fell on Mount Hermon and possibly also in the northern Golan. Further drop in temperatures is expected.
BSabbath It will be partly cloudy to cloudy and it will continue to be colder than usual. Local rains, mostly light, are still expected to fall in the north and center of the country, mostly along the coastal plain. The rains will weaken and gradually diminish during the day.
BFirst It will be partly cloudy to clear, with a slight rise in temperatures, but it will still be cold. A temporary respite from the rains is expected.