Storm

Heavy rain

Freezing weather the past days ... and almost non-stop drizzle. On Friday last the storm was so heavy in the Shaar Haggai valley where I was traveling to Jaffa for Mass that visibility was only 3 meters. It was frightening as you can hardly see the car ahead or behind or even the road itself. And the noise of rain hitting the roof and windshield was thunderous. Never in 30 years have I seen such a tempest. And it was good for the dry parched land which last year saw a drought. The land needed this soaking. But the poor people in the war zone without shelter or heating must have been a dreadful experience. 

Today the drizzle has stopped. A good respite for us to dry clothes, clean up the streets and terraces covered with leaves and debris from the storm. But the wind is still very cold. It's hovering around 6 degrees but forecast is 1 degree on Thursday. Everyone hopes for some snow but it's unlikely it will.

Clearing debris and mud

It's exam time for students and the storm is a good means to keep them at home and study. No chance of going out to play. 

I saw the roadworks at Damascus Gate washed away by the storm and a bulldozer had to come and clear the roundabout from sand and mud. Well the municipality could have finished that work last autumn and avoided this catastrophe. In stead the whole area down to Herod's Gate is like after a bombardment ... potholes everywhere, no asphalt, sand and mud; even the walkways are incomplete with some parts with paving stones and other parts sand and mud.