Heavy rain is expected to continue throughout the day accompanied by wind gusts reaching 90 KPH (55 MPH). The weatherman is predicting that temperatures will continue to drop and the rain will change to snow in certain areas including Yerushalayim beginning late Wednesday though the night into Thursday.

The morning, Tuesday 26 Teves 5773 began R”L with a fatal vehicular accident on the Jerusalem – Tel Aviv Highway that claimed three lives.

Flooding of Nachal Ayalon, which was reportedly one meter above sea level at 10:00am caused the shutdown of the Ayalon Highway southbound, soon thereafter closed in both directions. This brought the Tel Aviv AM rush hour to a standstill. Police urged motorists to stay far away from the city if at all possible.

The flooding did not restrict itself to the Ayalon, resulting in the cessation of service of trains in the center of the city as well.

In Jerusalem, light rail service was interrupted in the area of Har Herzl due to flooding as well.

The rain is expected to continue throughout the day and in the north, Kinneret officials report the level has risen 22 centimeters since the weekend. Snow continues to fall in the N. Golan Heights, and snowfall is still expected in Yerushalayim, beginning on Wednesday evening/night as the temperatures begin to drop.

City sanitation officials are working to prepare plows and salt spreaders. It remains unclear how much of an accumulation is expected at this time.

Rainfall accompanied by high winds snap trees on Har Habayis:

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The storm off the coast of Caesarea:

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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)