The Israel Meteorological Service has issued a warning ahead of an intense and prolonged heat wave expected to sweep across the country.

Forecasts indicate that beginning Thursday—and particularly over the weekend into early next week—Israel will face a major heat wave lasting around a week, with the peak expected from Friday through Sunday.

Temperatures are projected to soar above the seasonal average for early August, with highs nearing 40°C (104°F) in the central highlands and Jerusalem and approaching 50°C (122°F) in the Jordan Valley and around the Dead Sea.

In coastal and lowland areas, the combination of high heat and humidity will result in severe heat stress. The Meteorological Service has announced it will issue specific heat stress alerts later in the week.

If temperatures do near the 50°C (122°F) mark in some regions, the national record for 2025 could be surpassed. The current high—47.3°C (117.1°F), recorded at Mt. Sodom on July 27—is already the third-highest temperature ever recorded in the Dead Sea area.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)