Holy Land transforms into winter wonderland
Residents of Jerusalem and the West Bank woke up on Thursday to a winter wonderland, with the Levantine city covered in a blanket of snow.
The unusual weather pattern was brought by a winter storm dubbed Elpis, which started dropping snow on the north of Israel and the surrounding area on Wednesday morning.
Many people went out on Wednesday evening to walk around Jerusalem and enjoy the experience.
La neige à Jérusalem toujours un spectacle pic.twitter.com/HD3Uiwd3hs
— Georges Malbrunot (@Malbrunot) January 27, 2022
What do you do when it's snows in Jerusalem -- take a walk with your son through the Old City from 1 AM to 3 AM!!! pic.twitter.com/klj3W0lKts
— Gil Troy (@GilTroy) January 27, 2022
It’s snowing at the Western Wall in Jerusalem 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/tFmAMhTkjQ
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) January 26, 2022
God, I luv #Jerusalem wut a view! Via: Said Bsharat pic.twitter.com/s2rI5P2dxG
— Abier (@abierkhatib) January 26, 2022
The rare snowstorm saw some 20 centimeters of snow settle on the Israeli capital overnight, with authorities working throughout the night to clear roads.
250 snow ploughs were deployed, while nearly 150 tons of salt were spread around the city.
Schools will remain shut throughout Thursday, providing children with ample time to enjoy the snow while it lasts.
Rain is forecast for Thursday and throughout the weekend, accompanied by higher temperatures, meaning the snow is unlikely to last.
