Israel faces intense heatwave with warnings of thermal stress and wildfire risk

A heatwave has intensified across Israel, with forecasts indicating temperatures will remain above the seasonal average until Thursday. Authorities have warned of severe to extreme thermal stress across most regions and an increased risk of wildfires. According to Ynet, temperatures are set to rise slightly on Monday in mountainous and inland areas, where conditions will be hotter and drier than usual. The coastal plain is expected to remain hot and humid. Skies are forecast to clear after morning cloud cover, remaining clear to partly cloudy overnight. On Tuesday, temperatures will stay above average, with hot and dry conditions in mountainous and inland areas and high humidity along the coast. Severe to extreme thermal stress will persist in most regions. A slight decrease in temperature is expected on Wednesday, particularly in mountainous and inland areas, though conditions will remain hotter and drier than normal, with continued humidity on the coast. A further minor drop is forecast for Thursday, but severe thermal stress will continue across most of Israel as temperatures remain above the seasonal average. Amir Givati, director of the Israel Meteorological Service, told Ynet on Sunday that temperatures throughout the week would be approximately four to five degrees above average. He described the week as "definitely hot" and very dry, noting the risk of fire, although he clarified that temperatures would not reach the 40-degree levels seen in parts of Europe. Givati stated that a genuine drop in temperature is expected after the heatwave ends on Thursday or Friday, with meteorological models even indicating a possibility of rain next Saturday. He noted that such rainfall would be unusual for August and stressed that it would not signal the start of autumn or winter, adding that the forecast remains uncertain due to the six-to-seven-day lead time. Forecast temperatures for Monday in degrees Celsius are: Jerusalem 23-33, Tel Aviv 23-32, Haifa 23-32, Safed 24-33, Katzrin 21-39, Tiberias 23-39, Nazareth 23-36, Afula 22-37, Beit She'an 26-41, Lod 23-34, Ashdod 24-32, Ein Gedi 19-41, Beersheba 21-37, Mitzpe Ramon 25-36, and Eilat 31-42.