Israel to see slight cooldown after year's hottest day

Israel will see slightly cooler temperatures Tuesday after experiencing its hottest day of the past year, though weather conditions will remain hotter than average across much of the country, according to the Israel Meteorological Service. Forecasters said conditions will be hot and dry in the mountains and inland areas, while coastal regions will remain hot and humid. Morning clouds are expected to clear, giving way to mostly sunny skies. Temperatures will ease slightly during the day before clear to partly cloudy conditions overnight. A gradual warming trend is expected to resume Wednesday, particularly in the mountains and inland regions, accompanied by increasing heat stress. Temperatures will rise again Thursday, with conditions becoming unusually hot to heatwave-like inland and in the hills, while humidity will continue along the Mediterranean coast. Relief is expected Friday, when temperatures are forecast to fall back to seasonal averages and heat stress is expected to ease. Forecast high and low temperatures for Tuesday: Jerusalem: 31°C/21°C (88°F/70°F) Tel Aviv: 31°C/24°C (88°F/75°F) Haifa: 30°C/23°C (86°F/73°F) Safed: 32°C/23°C (90°F/73°F) Katzrin: 37°C/21°C (99°F/70°F) Tiberias: 35°C/24°C (95°F/75°F) Nazareth: 35°C/22°C (95°F/72°F) Afula: 35°C/22°C (95°F/72°F) Beit She'an: 39°C/26°C (102°F/79°F) Lod: 32°C/23°C (90°F/73°F) Ashdod: 31°C/23°C (88°F/73°F) Ein Gedi: 40°C/29°C (104°F/84°F) Be'er Sheva: 35°C/22°C (95°F/72°F) Mitzpe Ramon: 35°C/23°C (95°F/73°F) Eilat: 41°C/30°C (106°F/86°F) Monday was Israel's hottest day in nearly a year, with temperatures reaching 44.7°C (112.5°F), the highest recorded in the country since a heat wave last August. Temperatures exceeded 40°C (104°F) across the southern Dead Sea region, the Arava Desert and Eilat. The meteorological station at Sdom, near the southern Dead Sea, recorded 44.7°C (112.5°F), the highest temperature measured there since Aug. 15 of last year. Humidity also climbed sharply along the Mediterranean coast, reaching 74% in Ashkelon and 75% in both Nahariya and Tel Aviv. Combined with temperatures around 30°C (86°F), the high humidity produced very high heat stress across coastal and lowland areas.