A heat wave is set to arrive in Israel from Friday onward and reach its peak on Saturday and Sunday. Dry air combined with strong northern winds will increase the chance of wildfires.

The area around the Sea of Galilee and northern valleys could hit 47 C on Sunday. Israel Meteorological Service Director Dr. Amir Givati noted that such a reading would exceed the regional record of 46.8 C logged at Beit Tsaida on August 9 1998.

Thursday will bring a modest rise in temperatures and hotter-than-average conditions. Heat wave effects will appear in the hills and inland zones while the Coastal Plain stays hot and humid. Heavy to extreme heat is expected over most of the country.

Extreme heat will cover the southern Golan Heights and its slopes, the northern valleys, the Lower Galilee, the Kinneret Valley, the Dead Sea coast, the Jordan Valley, the Arava, the Judean Desert, and the eastern Negev.

Heavy heat is forecast for the northern Golan Heights, the western Galilee, the Carmel region, Ramat Menashe, the Coastal Plain, the Shephelah, the central hills, the northern Negev, and the Negev Highlands.

Extreme heat, hotter than usual with clear skies

On Friday skies will stay mostly clear. Temperatures will remain above average with heat wave conditions in the hills and inland areas and hot humid weather along the Coastal Plain. Heavy to extreme heat will continue across most regions.

On Saturday temperatures will stay hotter than usual with heat wave conditions inland and humid air along the coast. The heat will grow stronger with heavy to extreme levels expected nationwide.

On Sunday the pattern will persist with above-average readings heat wave conditions inland and continued humidity on the Coastal Plain. Heavy to extreme heat will remain throughout the country.

The Environment and Climate Change portal is produced in cooperation with the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Jerusalem Post maintains all editorial decisions related to the content.