Traffic is being disrupted. Weathermen say the winter storm will peak tonight.
Snow finally reached Jerusalem today. After failing to fall during the night as the weathermen had predicted, the snow started falling at lunch-time. Initially, it fell sporadically, but grew heavier this afternoon and Jerusalem is forecast to be covered in white by this evening. The municipality announced it was on high alert. Weathermen say the winter storm will peak tonight.
A blanket of snow covered all of the Golan Heights and Galilee hills today. Safed and Metula were also covered in snow, which also fell lightly in Nazereth Illit, Hazor Haglilit, Ayelet Hashahar, Gush Tefen (near Maalot), and even on the Carmel.
The snow storms caused heavy traffic disruptions on the Golan Heights and in northern Israel today. The Public Works Department and local and regional authorities, using snow-removing machinery, tried to keep main traffic arteries open. Travelers encountered blockades on closed roads. Due to the danger of skidding on mountain roads, residents were asked to travel only on urgent business and only in front-wheel drive vehicles.
All flights by Israeli airline Arkia to northern Israel were canceled due to the closure of the Rosh Pina and Kiryat Shmona airfields.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 7 January, 2002