Israel's Tapestry

🌊 Coastal Plain

The Mediterranean coastal plain extends from the Lebanese border in the north down to Gaza in the south, with a singular interruption by Cape Carmel at Haifa Bay. Its width varies, being approximately 40 kilometers near Gaza and narrowing to about 5 kilometers near the Lebanese border. This region is notably fertile and historically humid, renowned for its extensive citrus orchards and viticulture. Several short streams, including the Kishon, Hadera, Alexander, Poleg, and Yarkon, traverse the plain. Significant efforts have been made to rehabilitate these waterways, with the Kishon, Alexander, and Yarkon now flowing year-round and featuring adjacent parks.

🌄 Central Hills

Inland, to the east of the coastal plain, lies the central highland region. The northern part of this region is dominated by the mountains and hills of Upper and Lower Galilee, typically ranging from 500 to 700 meters in height, with Mount Meron reaching the highest elevation at 1,208 meters. South of the Galilee, within the West Bank, are the Samarian Hills, characterized by numerous small, fertile valleys and elevations rarely exceeding 800 meters. Further south of Jerusalem, also primarily within the West Bank, are the Judean Hills, which include Mount Hebron. The central highlands average 610 meters in height. Several valleys, most notably the Jezreel Valley (also known as the Plain of Esdraelon), cut across these highlands from east to west. The Jezreel Valley stretches 48 kilometers from Haifa southeast to the Jordan River valley and is 19 kilometers wide at its broadest point.

💧 Jordan Rift Valley

East of the central highlands lies the Jordan Rift Valley, a segment of the vast 6,500-kilometer Syrian-East African Rift system. This region in Israel is defined by the Jordan River, the freshwater Sea of Galilee (also known as Lake Tiberias or Lake Kinneret), and the highly saline Dead Sea. The Jordan River, Israel's longest at 322 kilometers, originates from the Dan, Baniyas, and Hasbani rivers near Mount Hermon and flows south through the Hula Basin into the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee, covering 165 square kilometers and approximately 213 meters below sea level, is Israel's primary freshwater reservoir. The Jordan River continues its journey from the southern end of the Sea of Galilee, forming a significant portion of the boundary with Jordan, before emptying into the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea, at 1,020 square kilometers and 420 meters below sea level, holds the distinction of being the lowest surface point on Earth. South of the Dead Sea, the Rift Valley continues as the Arabah (Arava or Wadi 'Arabah), an arid stretch of 170 kilometers without permanent water flow, leading to the Gulf of Eilat.

🏜️ Negev Desert

The Negev Desert constitutes approximately 12,000 square kilometers, accounting for more than half of Israel's total land area. Geographically, it is an extension of the Sinai Desert, forming a rough triangle with its base in the north near Beersheba, the Dead Sea, and the southern Judean Mountains, and its apex at Eilat in the country's southern tip. Topographically, the Negev mirrors other regions of Israel, featuring lowlands in the west, hills in the central portion, and the Arava valley defining its eastern border. A unique geological feature of the Negev is its crater-like makhteshim cirques, including Makhtesh Ramon, Makhtesh Gadol, and Makhtesh Katan.

🌊 The Jordan River System

Israel's most prominent and longest river is the Jordan River, stretching approximately 320 kilometers. Its source lies on the southern slopes of Mount Hermon within the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. The river flows southward, passing through the freshwater Sea of Galilee, and subsequently forms a significant portion of the boundary with the Kingdom of Jordan before ultimately emptying into the Dead Sea. The northern tributaries feeding the Jordan River include the Dan River, which is entirely within undisputed Israeli territory, the Banias River, originating from territory captured from Syria, and the Hasbani River, flowing from Lebanon.

🏞️ Key Inland Water Bodies

The Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Kinneret, is Israel's largest and most crucial freshwater lake, located in the northeast. This pear-shaped lake is 23 kilometers long from north to south, with a maximum width of 13 kilometers, covering an area of 166 square kilometers. It lies approximately 207 meters below sea level and reaches depths of 46 meters. Geologically, the lake bed is an integral part of the Jordan Rift Valley. In a previous geological epoch, the Sea of Galilee was part of a much larger inland sea that extended from the Hula marshes in northern Israel to 64 kilometers south of the Dead Sea. Today, it serves as the principal reservoir for the National Water Carrier, a vital conduit for drinking water across the country.

🧂 The Dead Sea

South of the Sea of Galilee lies the Dead Sea, a hypersaline lake that forms the border between Israel and Jordan. At 418 meters below sea level, it is the lowest water surface on Earth. The Dead Sea is 67 kilometers long with a maximum width of 16 kilometers and is also a fundamental component of the Jordan Rift Valley. A distinctive peninsula juts into the lake from its eastern shore; the lake is shallow to the south of this peninsula, less than 6 meters deep, while its greatest depths are found to the north. While Israel lacks navigable artificial waterways, the concept of a canal connecting either the Mediterranean Sea or the Red Sea to the Dead Sea has been a subject of discussion for its potential benefits, including water management and energy generation. It is important to note that Israel is currently ranked as the sixteenth most water-stressed country globally, highlighting the critical importance of these water resources.

🌡️ Diverse Climates

Israel's climate is highly varied, influenced by its position between the subtropical aridity of the Sahara and Arabian deserts and the subtropical humidity of the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean. The northern half of the country experiences a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa), characterized by long, hot, and rainless summers, followed by relatively short, mild to cool, and rainy winters. In contrast, the southern half of Israel is dominated by hot semi-arid (BSh) and hot desert (BWh) climates. These conditions are locally modified by factors such as altitude, latitude, and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.

☔ Precipitation Patterns

On average, January is the coldest month, with temperatures ranging from 6 to 15 °C (42.8 to 59.0 °F), while July and August are the hottest, averaging 22 to 33 °C (71.6 to 91.4 °F) across the country. Summers are notably humid along the Mediterranean coast but remain dry in the central highlands, the Jordan Rift Valley, and the Negev Desert. Eilat, a desert city, frequently records the highest summer daytime temperatures, occasionally reaching 44 to 46 °C (111.2 to 114.8 °F). Over 70% of Israel's average annual rainfall occurs between November and March, with June through September typically being rainless. Rainfall distribution is uneven, significantly decreasing towards the south. The extreme south receives approximately 30 millimeters annually, whereas the north can exceed 900 millimeters. Precipitation often manifests as intense storms, leading to erosion and flash floods. In winter, higher elevations of the central highlands, including Jerusalem, frequently experience snow, and Mount Hermon maintains seasonal snow cover on its peaks. Cultivable land, approximately one-third of the country, is generally found in areas receiving more than 300 millimeters of annual rainfall.

⚡ Extreme Weather Events

Thunderstorms and hail are common during the rainy season, and waterspouts occasionally form along the Mediterranean coast, typically causing only minor damage. However, more severe events have occurred, such as the supercell thunderstorms and an F2 tornado that struck the Western Galilee in April 2006, resulting in significant damage and 75 injuries. Heat waves are a frequent occurrence, with 2010 being recorded as the hottest year in Israel's history, marked by absolute record highs in several locations during August. The autumn months of October and November in 2010 were also exceptionally dry, with November experiencing almost no rainfall despite typically being a rainy month.

📜 References