Not such a rainy winter after all

Are you in Israel? Do you think we had a rainy winter? If so, you may be in for a surprise.

February and March this year were the driest for the past 50 years and overturned the country’s precipitation balance, which had looked promising at the beginning of winter, Israel Water Authority and Israel Meteorological Service figures show.

Last month was one of the warmest Marches since climate measuring began in Israel, with temperatures climbing 2-4 degrees higher than the multi-year average for this month, the Meteorological Service said. The meager rainfall was only 20-40 milliliters in the north, compared to a multi-year average of 90-120 milliliters.

The rainfall in February was the lowest recorded in the past 70 years, with the exception of the winter of 1958.

However, the Water Authority said this winter’s rain quantity totaled 109 percent compared to the multi-year average.

In the Kinneret area the rainfall was 114 percent compared to the multi-year average, due to the rains that fell at the beginning of winter and also raised the lake’s water level.

The Kinneret rose a meter  and a half this winter, because there was so much rain in December and January, so maybe we'll at least stay above the red line this summer. But don't bring out your water fountains just yet.