Up to 30 mm of rain could fall within just one to three hours early Sunday, with thunderstorms and hail possible from northern Israel to the northern Negev; forecasters say the system could even break August rainfall recordAfter days of summer heat, Israel is expected to see an abrupt and highly unusual change in the weather Saturday night, with forecasters predicting a significant rain event that could bring thunderstorms, hail and flooding to parts of the country.The heaviest rain is expected overnight from Saturday, August 29, into Sunday, August 30, particularly along the coastal plain from northern Israel through the Sharon region and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area to the southern coastal lowlands.(Photo: AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)Current forecasts indicate that 20 to 30 millimeters of rain could fall along the coast within just one to three hours around dawn Sunday. The intensity of the rainfall could overwhelm urban drainage systems, raising the risk of flooding in roads, underpasses and low-lying areas, particularly around greater Tel Aviv and the surrounding coastal cities.According to the Israel Meteorological Service, Saturday will begin partly cloudy, with light rain or drizzle possible in the morning in northern Israel and along the coast. Rain is expected to spread overnight from the north to the northern Negev, with isolated thunderstorms possible in the north. The service has specifically warned of flooding along the coastal plain.Local rain is expected to continue Sunday morning from northern Israel to the northern Negev. Temperatures will fall sharply and are expected to be below seasonal averages, particularly in the mountains and inland areas, bringing significant relief from the heat.Until then, conditions will remain largely summery. Thursday is expected to be mostly clear after morning cloud cover disperses, with temperatures remaining above average for the season. A slight drop is forecast for Friday, mainly in the mountains and inland areas, bringing temperatures closer to normal.What makes the approaching system particularly unusual is not only the amount of rain forecast, but the fact that it follows another significant rain event earlier this month.Israel has never recorded two separate August rain events in which more than 10 millimeters fell. If the latest forecast proves accurate, August 2026 would therefore mark an unprecedented month in the country’s weather records.Heavy rain fell in northern Israel, Jerusalem and nearby communities in mid-August. At the Israel Meteorological Service station in Ma’ale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, 21 millimeters were measured within one hour, with the total later reaching about 25 millimeters, an exceptionally high figure for August.The upcoming storm could also challenge Israel’s record for the largest amount of rainfall recorded during a single August event. The current record is 33 millimeters, measured at Kfar Galim near Haifa on August 3, 1971. Forecast models indicate that this weekend’s system could approach or even surpass that figure.The geographical spread of the expected rainfall is also highly unusual. Summer rain in Israel is generally isolated and localized, but this system is forecast to affect a broad area stretching from northern Israel through the coastal plain and central region to the northern Negev.The flood risk is similarly exceptional. Flooding along Israel’s coastal plain has not previously been recorded in August, according to the report, yet meteorologists are now warning that intense bursts of rain could rapidly exceed the capacity of urban drainage systems.Forecast temperatures for Thursday: Jerusalem 21-33°C (70-91°F), Tel Aviv 25-32°C (77-90°F), Haifa 24-31°C (75-88°F), Safed 22-35°C (72-95°F), Katzrin 22-38°C (72-100°F), Tiberias 24-38°C (75-100°F), Nazareth 23-36°C (73-97°F), Afula 23-36°C (73-97°F), Beit She’an 27-41°C (81-106°F), Lod 24-33°C (75-91°F), Ashdod 24-32°C (75-90°F), Ein Gedi 29-40°C (84-104°F), Be'er Sheva 22-36°C (72-97°F), Mitzpe Ramon 24-36°C (75-97°F) and Eilat 29-43°C (84-109°F)