Jerusalem pruning tree branches to prevent power outages; snow forecast from the North to the Negev.
Emergency services and municipal crews were preparing across Israel on Sunday morning ahead of the stormy conditions that were set to hit the country. The head of the Israel Electric Company Ron Tal announced that emergency maintenance crews would be beefed up as would call center staff. Ministry of Energy and Water Yuval Steinitz ordered that customers in arrears to the IEC would not be disconnected from their power during the storm.
Fire and rescue crews across the country were ready with heavy equipment to rescue people from snow and flooding situations and trainees were called up for backup. The Fire Service warned about the hazards of using spiral heating ovens, reminding the public that there was an increase this year of residential fires that occurred as a result of electrical malfunctions.
Kibbutz Merom Golan, in the northern Golan Heights, was prepared with snow ploughs, salt, and generators in case of blackouts. Head of tourism at the kibbutz, Shefi Mor said the hoped for precipitation would benefit the fruit orchards, the vineyards and tourism.
The Municipality in Jerusalem called on residents to be prepared with emergency lighting and to follow instructions, that if necessary, would be communicated in the media. The city was pruning tree branches from wires to prevent outages.
The Israel Meteorological Service forecast showers and thunderstorms from the North to the northern Negev on Sunday with strong winds and the risk of flooding and flash floods. Snow was forecast in the northern mountains with the chance of snow in the evening in the central mountains and in the Negev. Haze was forecast for the South with unseasonably cold weather throughout the country. Tonight:
Showers and thunderstorms were forecast to persist on Sunday night from the North to northern Negev with snow accumulating in the northern mountains, central mountains and the Negev.
The high forecast for Jerusalem on Sunday was only 5 degrees Celcius with a low of 1, and Tel Aviv warmer with a high of 12 and a low of 9.
As reported by The Jerusalem Post