Photo Credit: IDF
On days such as these, the IDF Alpine Unit is out. The snow clearing and rescue unit of the Hermon practices skiing, climbing, shooting, and rescue drills in snow covered regions. The unit is comprised of reserve soldiers who were formerly part of other elite units and who volunteered to serve.

A winter storm on Tuesday brought snow to to the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon, a veritable boon for the skiers and eventually, a rush of water into Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) when the white stuff eventually melts.

The storm also brought rain to Jerusalem and to the rest of the northern and central regions, and where the coastal highway was closed for hours due to flooding.

Walking in the rain in downtown Jerusalem.
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Sadly, part of a 3,000-year-old wall at the Tel Dan archaeological site in the north, which has survived since the time of the First Holy Temple, collapsed on Tuesday due to the downpour.

Throughout the day it was unseasonably cold, and temperatures continued to drop even into the southern region, towards the northern Negev desert. Scattered showers and thunderstorms were in the forecast in the Negev as well, but expected to fade out in the evening.

Flash flood warnings were in effect along the coast and in the Judean desert, where tourists and hikers are often caught unawares. The warnings are also in effect for the northern Negev desert and along the Dead Sea area, where hikers and unwary drivers may suddenly encounter flooding on the road along the Dead Sea coast.

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Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.