Heavy rain returned to Israel on Tuesday, beginning in the northern Sharon, causing heavy flooding on several streets in Netanya after a copious amount of rain fell in the city within a half hour.

Videos of the area show cars almost fully submerged in water on the flooded streets. Rescue forces are currently hard at work rescuing people stranded on car roofs.

The rain is expected to continue over the coming hours and stop in the evening. A slight rise in temperatures is expected on Wednesday. No rain is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, but toward the end of the week, rainfall is expected to return with greater intensity across a wider area, from the north down to the Negev.

The Meteorological Service said, “Rain fell from the late morning hours until evening, from northern Israel through the central coast and the Shfela. Toward midday the rain fell at strong intensities, with the focus of the heaviest rainfall expected from the Gush Dan and Sharon areas through Netanya and Hadera and up to the Carmel Coast, with a risk of urban flooding in these areas.”

“We are at the beginning of a prolonged winter period that will arrive in several waves, from the end of the week until at least the end of the month/the civil year.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)