A soaring, prolonged heatwave has been affecting Israel this week, The Jerusalem Post reports. The heatwave is not only setting temperature records for the region, but also records for electricity consumption. Hiking trails in the Judean Desert, Wadi Kelt, and Jordan Valley have been closed as the threat of heatstroke remains very real –with two reported deaths in the last several days.
Temperatures this week reached 49 degrees Celsius in the area surrounding the Sea of Galilee (where the previous record temperature was 47 degrees Celsius), and up to 51 degrees Celsius in the Jordan Valley, the highest since the 54 degrees Celsius recorded in 1942, before the State of Israel was founded.
Temperatures in Jerusalem reached over 40 degrees Celsius, with record highs also expected to be reached in the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights regions.
Temperatures rose in the coastal plains and lowlands of the country, including Tel Aviv and the surrounding areas, but these are unlikely to reach record levels due to the moderating influence of the Mediterranean Sea, the Israel Meteorological Service (IMS) noted.
NOGA, Israel’s electrical system manager, reported on Wednesday that the country’s consumption crossed 17,000 megawatts. This is a new record.
The two men who died of heatstroke were a 70-year-old in Eilat, who collapsed and died at the Yoseftal Medical Center, and a man in his 60s in Rishon Letzion. This was when temperatures were estimated to hit 48.8 degrees Celsius.
It’s easy to forget during wartime that extreme weather can pose a dire threat as well. The Fellowship works to ensure that all Israelis are safe, no matter what threat they face.