Article first published as http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/after-this-blog-the-deluge/
Even as Sky News carries regular reports of a Middle East drought of “biblical proportions”, the much anticipated downpour is lashing against my office window here in Karmiel, Galilee.
The 24-hours of intermittent rain “followed by showers” we enjoyed on Monday and Tuesday suddenly reappeared in vengeance as the Sabbath began.
Whether the joint prayers of spiritual leaders from this area’s three major faiths have helped, I dare not opine. However, our personal pre-Sabbath preparations included storing fragile patio furniture and plant containers until spring.
The emergency service, Magen David Adom has gone on a higher alert and ordered ambulances to be deployed in every district of the country. This is due to an Israel Meteorological Service forecast of the first serious storms of the season to include hail, high winds and torrential rain.
MDA personnel may have to deal with hypothermia as the IMS warns temperatures will plunge with the possibility of snow on Mount Hermon and sleet in other mountainous areas.
There will be steady rain tomorrow with a chance of flooding in low areas of the North, some rain in the Centre and a chance of sandstorms in the South. There may also be winds of up to 100 k.p.h., with lightning and hail. Sunday is also expected to be stormy, cold and windy but the rain and winds will decrease gradually with a chance of flooding on Monday.
The Israel Electric Corporation has asked consumers to secure any light objects that could be borne aloft by high winds and damage electric lines. It warns that if a line is brought down in a storm it may take time to restore power.
The storms may also cause trees damaged by last week’s fire in the Carmel Forest Reserve to fall down while the rain may erode soil in places no longer secured by trees.The area has been closed to non-residents until 26 December and the Agriculture Ministry has asked the public to avoid going there.
msniw
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