Despite last week's heavy rains, the Israel Water Authority warns that the country can once again expect below average rainfall this winter. The Water Authority noted that most of last week's rain fell in the center and the south of the country and the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), Israel's principal freshwater reservoir, only rose by 1 centimeter.
No rain is forecast for the coming days with spring-like sunshine expected to bring out more flowers and almond blossom. This means that unless there will be substantial rainfall in the final week of February and March, then Israel will once again see annual precipitation well below average.
To date only 420-450 millimeters of rain have fallen across most of northern Israel since last October, well below the 700 millimeters seasonal average. 395 millimeters have fallen in Tel Aviv (560 millimeters annual average), 364 millimeters in Jerusalem (614 millimeters annual average), 298 millimeters in Ashdod (520 millimeters average), 273 millimeters in Kiryat Gat (410 millimeters average), 102 millimeters in Beersheva (205 millimeters average), and 34 millimeters in Eilat (25 millimeters average).
However, Israel's string of desalination plants along the Mediterranean and the recycling of over 90% of sewage and wastewater means that the country will not experience a water shortage.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 19, 2017
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