Thunder, lightning bring in heavy rains across country

Unseasonal downpours spread throughout central and northern regions; rain expected to continue with risk of flash floods in Negev.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, SHARON UDASIN
Rain drops 311 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Rain drops 311
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Unseasonal rainfall continued overnight Friday, with local thunderstorms breaking out across the country.
Heavy downpours were felt in central and northern areas. There were heavy downpours in central and northern areas, and rain was expected continue on Saturday, with the chance of flash floods in the Negev.
RELATED:Country still in 'critical condition' despite rainfall
Unseasonal amounts of rain were measured, with 9.8 mm falling in Ariel, 8mm in Ashdod and 2.8 mm in Tel Aviv.
The Water Authority warns, however, that the country is still in a critical situation regarding water consumption, even after the most productive April since 2003, according to statistics released this week by the Authority.
Nationwide, precipitation accumulation has only reached 89 percent of average levels, according to the data, which compared the results to last year’s rainfalls, and analyzed the country’s overall condition at the conclusion of this year’s rainy season.
“Of course the moment you get rain in April and May, it releases you from irrigating agriculture. That itself saves a lot of water – but the water situation is still very, very critical,” Water Authority spokesman Uri Schor told The Jerusalem Post.
“First of all, we have not reached the average. Second, the demand for water in Israel is larger than the average amount of natural rainfall that we receive in the winter, and third, we are currently following six years of drought. Therefore, the water reserves are empty,” Schor said.