Even before last week's heavy rains, the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) had begun to rise from a low-point of 210.78 meters below sea level on December 19. Following heavy rains in the north last Monday and Tuesday, the Kinneret has been rising at 0.5 centimeter per day, and is now at 210.745 meters below sea level, according to the Kinneret Authority.
The lake is now 1.945 meters from its maximum level of 208.80 meters below sea level. After relatively light rainfall for this time of year, this season, the Kinneret is not expected to reach its maximum level this winter, and compel the Israel Water Authority to open the Deganya dam at the southern end of the lake to prevent flooding, and allow water to flow down the southern section of the River Jordan to the Dead Sea, for the first time since 1992. This time last year the Kinneret was already 1.105 meters from its maximum level but ultimately fell well short after a relatively dry spell in February and March.
So far this season, Safed has had 221 millimeters of rain out of an annual average of 718 millimeters and Nahalal has had 139 millimeters out of an annual average of 538 millimeters. 138 millimeters has fallen in Haifa (550), 284 millimeters in Netanya (570), 228 millimeters in Tel Aviv (560), 125 millimeters in Jerusalem (582) and 33 millimeters in Beersheva (205).
This week is expected to be sunny but cold but heavy rains are forecast for next weekend.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 26, 2021.
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