Canceled flights, closed tunnels & evacuated schools: Winter storm blasts Israel with high winds and heavy rains

Heavy rains and strong winds hit Israel starting Monday night, as a winter storm moved into the country. 

Major roads experienced closures and delays as wind blew debris into the roads, and heavy rains caused flooding in various parts of the country. Roads affected by closures due to flooding included Route 90, which runs north-south along the Jordan River Valley from the Sea of Galilee to Eilat; Route 463, Route 375, Route 40, and Highway 4.

The Naomi Shemer Tunnel heading east from Jerusalem was closed for almost an hour due to flooding caused by the heavy rains. 

הצפות הבוקר התרחשו גם במנהרת נעמי שמר בירושלים. כל לאחר מעל 50 מ"מ מתחילת המערכת ועדיין הגשם לא מפסיק. pic.twitter.com/7xub3pfPPz

— שלמה ⛈️ מזג אוויר (@MezgAvirIL) January 13, 2026

Large parts of the country were affected by flooding. In the Israeli Arab town of Abu Gosh, near Jerusalem, a couple had to be rescued from their flooded car, with the woman being taken to Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital due to shock from the cold.

In Kiryat Malachi, near Ashdod, several people were also rescued from a flooded vehicle. In Haifa, the regional airline Air Haifa canceled flights due to the extreme weather. 

In the Jerusalem area, an Arab woman taken to Hadassah Mount Scopus was declared dead after being hit by debris during the storm. On the western side of the city, near Beit Zait, flooding caused the closure of an agricultural school. 

The heavy rainfall led to a collapsed wall in Rishon LeTziyon, which damaged at least eight cars. 

The heavy precipitation and cold temperatures led to increased snowfall at Mount Hermon in the north, and the ski resort will remain closed for a couple of days due to the heavy precipitation and strong winds.

Several other communities are reporting light snow, including Efrat in the Gush Etzion region of Judea, south of Jerusalem. The area is the highest part of the country's central ridge running across Judea and Samaria, and experiences snowfall almost every winter.

According to the Israel Meteorological Service, higher-than-normal amounts of rain fell in the Judean Hills, the Judean Plain, and the northern Golan Heights overnight, with heavy rains expected to continue in the central highlands and the Judean Plain throughout Tuesday. 

In the areas around the Dead Sea, flooding was reported in several streams, and citizens were warned against traveling along roads near the Dead Sea due to the flooding and the increased risk for rockfalls. 

High wind speeds were reported across the country, with the most severe in the southern coastal areas. In Ashkelon, a peak gust of 103 kilometers per hour (64 mph) was recorded overnight, while Ashdod recorded 99 kilometers per hour (61 mph), and in the north, on Mount Hermon, gusts of 96 km/h (60 mph) were recorded.

The stormy weather is expected to decrease over the rest of Tuesday, although rain and higher-than-normal winds will last for another day or two. 

The storm is the third such weather system to hit Israel in two months, after Winter Storm Byron caused flooding in several countries of the Middle East in December, while another storm in late December again brought flooding throughout the country.