Despite forecasts, raging heat wave continues to plague Israel
Forecasters say the extremely hot air coming from Iraq and Saudi Arabia will cause the heat wave to continue at least until the end of the week.
By Zafrir Rinat and Amiram CohenContrary to earlier forecasts, the heat wave is showing no signs of abating, at least until the end of the week. Temperatures may even rise, the Meteo Tech weather forecasting company said.
The Kinneret level on Monday hit 22 centimeters below the lower "red line," at 213.22 meters below sea level.
A few days ago weather services predicted the heat would ease a bit in the middle of the week. But now forecasters say the extremely hot air coming from Iraq and Saudi Arabia will cause the heat wave to continue at least until the end of the week.
The mercury was 5-6 degrees above average in the north and Jerusalem.
In Safed it was 36 degrees and in Tiberias 40, but due to the heat stress it felt like 47 degrees. Eilat was 44 degrees, but due to the low humidity it felt like "only" 45 degrees.
While the temperatures was 1-2 degrees lower in mountainous and inland areas, the high humidity levels increased the heat stress there.
Winds in some areas made the heat easier to bear.
Forecasters say the extremely hot air coming from Iraq and Saudi Arabia will continue the heat wave in Israel in the next few days.
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People on the beach. Illustration. |
| Photo by: Archive |
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IDF should be on alert and respond accordingly.
The last decade was the warmest in recorded history, and 2010 is well on the way to being the warmest year in recorded history. The glaciers and polar ice caps are melting faster than even the worst-case scenarios and many areas are experiencing severe droughts, wild fires, and flooding from rising seas or major storms. However, many people are still in denial although almost all, if not all, peer-reviewed science articles and science academies throughout the world agree that climate change is real and serious and mainly caused by human activities. It is becoming increasingly clear that the world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented climate catastrophe. It is time that the Jewish community play our role as a "light unto the nations" by leading efforts to reduce climate change and help shift our imperiled planet to a sustainable path.
Richard, you're spot on. But where is the money? The response to global warming must come at various levels of society--international, national government, NGOs, communities, industries, families, and individuals. Generally, we have got to collect and deploy all of our available resources at this problem in order to avert catastrophe for future generations. Where is there enough money to do this? Where is the will to say we will forgo our normal profits and expectations in order to divert our resources to the future well being of our children and grandchildren? As Richard says, we must wake up to this challenge and put our money where it will yield well being for the future. The time to do this is now, in the heat.