Anyone who hiked the Israel National Trail has seen it with his own eyes – Israel is a land of very diverse landscapes. From the mountains in the north, through the humid coastal temperatures of the coastal plains, to the desert of the south – one travelling to Israel can experience a range of different climates and scenery . But there is one unique event that is very rare to experience in Israel: Snowfall. so, how often does it snow in Israel?
Very rare. Snowfall in Israel is uncommon, but it occurs in higher parts of the country, especially on Mount Hermon. Apart from the mountain range and the Golan Heights, most parts of the country will never see the frost, and people in Tel Aviv or Ashkelon can grow up never seeing snow.
In areas over 750 meters above sea level, The Upper Galilee region, Safed and Jerusalem experience some snowfall every year when the temperature averages between 4 and 12℃. Usually, the snow does not hold much more than a few days.
The highest peaks (over 1000 meters) such as Mt. Meiron and Mt. Hermon gets much more than just a few days of snow, and the ski resort at Mt. Hermon is open for skiing from January till March (and sometimes even April).
On a personal note, during my 35 years in Israel, I remember two or three real snowfalls, comparable to European ones. Most of the time the snowfall is short, and melts pretty quickly.
One exception was in December of 2013. 40–70 cm (16–28 in) of snow fell in Jerusalem and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in the Kfar Etzion area. Roads were closed in Israel by deep snow and flooding. Jerusalem was cut off for 48 hours by deep snow and flooding and cars were abandoned on the highway after they got stuck in snow.
The snow was so heavy (and unexpected), that it forced Ben Gurion International Airport to shut down, rushing US Secretary of State John Kerry to cut short his meeting with Palestinian President in Ramallah and return to Israel before roads and airports were out of service.
During this time I was a student in the Hebrew University and lived in Jerusalem. I remember the joy of going out to play in the snow, building a snowman and throwing snowballs on my friends (and enemies).
So we established how often it snows in Israel – but how can you experience it when it does?
Things To Do During Snowfall In Israel
Go skiing at Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon Ski Resort is Israel’s only winter ski and snowboard resort. While Mount Hermon Ski Resort is not a world-class resort, it has snow for much of the winter. It is incredibly popular with Israelis and tourists alike who take a day or two to enjoy the winter sport activities.
During winter, the site is open for up to about 50 days a year, attracting about 300,000 visitors, generally between January and March. The resort has 14 ski runs and 5 chair lifts. As with any ski resort, visitors can take lessons and rent equipment at the center. to check on snow conditions and opening times, visit the resort’s website.
Visit Safed
Safed is not only one of Israel’s holiest cities, it is also the highest city in the Holy Land. Set in the dense pine forests of the Upper Galilee, overlooking Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee, Safed receives (by itself) the same amount of snow as the rest of the snowfall in Israel.
For thousands of years, the ancient city of Safed was conquered and reconquered – always changing hands. Said to have been founded by one of Noah’s sons after the Great Flood, the city was inhabited by the local Semetic populations throughout the years. Today, after years of conflict ranging from the Crusaders to the Mamluks to the British, Safed survives – as pretty, vibrant and mystical as ever!
In this historic city you can see many ruins from Ottoman and Roman rule, experience the flea markets and street food, or visit the Artists’ Quarter, where Israel’s best and most celebrated artists trace their roots to.
Jerusalem Festivals
The winter months in Jerusalem offer a bit to every kind of traveler. You can experience a bunch of different festivals during that period – from ice skating and ice sculpting competitions, the best film and music festivals in the country and the traditional “festival of lights”, which occurs during Hanukkah and attracts over 300,000 visitors annually.
This is an annual event held in the Old City of Jerusalem for one week, and presents light exhibitions by various artists from Israel and around the world who use light to create sculptures, installations and works of art. The various exhibits are located in and around the Old City, marked with light ropes in different colors.
