Israelis often pray for a rainy winter season. In recent years, there hasn’t nearly been enough precipitation and the Sea of Galilee’s water levels have been dropping. But who would expect a heavy snow downfall?  Only this time, Israel is getting more snow and driving rain than it has in two decades. It’s come so fast and furious that the Israel isn’t quite prepared to deal with this circumstance. As a result, malls are being flooded. Roads are being shut down. Schools and government offices are being closed. The IDF and Navy have even been deployed repeatedly in the last few days to rescue Israelis in danger.

Heavy snow was likewise falling on Wednesday in the northern Golan Heights after a meter of snow fell on Mount Hermon overnight. Snow also was falling in Nazareth, as well as in the Galilee, in Migdal Oz and Beit El. The Kiryat Arba municipality sent children home from school for fear that snow would block the road.

At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the national transportation police said that because of heavy snowfall they had closed the following roads in the north of Israel: Northbound traffic from the Shiryon junction, Alrom junction, and Wasset junction, as well as the right lanes of highway 6 heading south from Iron, which is closed because of holes in the asphalt caused by the storm.

Since the beginning of one of the wettest winters in years, Haifa has already recorded 542 millimeters of rain – more than twice its annual average. Tel Aviv also has its average beat, with 136% of its annual average rain having fallen as of January 8, and the same holds true for Jerusalem (136%), Tzfat (211%), and Nahariya (192%). Even Eilat has joined the party, with more than twice as much rain falling this season as in an average year. According to the Meteorological Service, this season is likely to beat the 1994-95 season, the last time such heavy rains fell in Israel throughout the winter season.

Aside for all the jubilation followed by the cancellation of classes, snow fights, sledding, and building snowmen, there were reports of causalities. The national police headquarters announced mid-afternoon that altogether their rescue services have assisted 70 people who were endangered by rising waters and flooding on the roadways. Police also reported that two Palestinian Arab women and a Samarian woman died after their car was swept away off a road near Tulkarm in the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with officials Wednesday to assess the situation. “The systems are working well. I have instructed Public Security Ministry Director-General Rotem Peleg to consider compensation for those who have been hurt as a result of the weather,” he told officials during the meeting.

He also thanked emergency services for their efforts over the past several days. “I appreciate the brave work – in the intense cold and strong winds – of all those involved. The emergency and rescue forces are struggling around the clock in the storm in order to save lives; on behalf of all Israelis, I thank you.

“One month after Operation Pillar of Defense, the rescue forces are again proving that the Israeli home front can rely on them. In the stormy weather, their sole concern is to help Israeli citizens, and they have been very successful.”