Jerusalem, 28 August, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel is bracing for an exceptionally rare late-summer storm expected to bring heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail and possible flooding overnight Saturday into Sunday morning.
Conditions are forecast to deteriorate late Saturday, with the heaviest downpours expected around dawn. The northern and central coastal plains, Sharon valley, greater Tel Aviv and the Judea lowlands are considered most at risk.
Forecasters expect 20 to 30 millimeters of rain to fall in just one to three hours, potentially overwhelming drainage systems and flooding streets and underpasses.
Thunderstorms and hail could develop despite the late-August heat, while temperatures are expected to plunge Sunday, falling below seasonal averages in inland and mountainous areas.
Significant rainfall in August is extremely unusual in Israel. The storm also follows an unprecedented mid-August downpour that caused record-breaking flooding, with meteorologists linking the unusual weather to broader global atmospheric patterns and a developing Super El Niño.