The Land of Israel is situated in a subtropical climate area, with offers two main seasons: a rather hot and dry summer alongside a cold and semi-wet to wet winter. However, thanks to generalized influences such as Israel’s being positioned between a sea to its west and two different deserts in the east and south, as well as more localized influences like the varying altitudes, the weather in Israel can be quite diverse, offering those vacationing in Israel a huge range of activities, from skiing at the snow-covered Mount Hermon in the north to swimming and diving in the southern and sunny Bay of Eilat.

As a rule, Israel can be divided into three main climate areas. In the northern and central parts of Israel, the weather tends to be Mediterranean, mainly translating into a hot summer and a rather rainy winter. The coastal plain, which is the most densely populated part of the country, is characterized by humidity during the summer months while the winter is usually quite a comfortable season. Meanwhile, up in the mountainous areas of the land, summer is marked as dry while the winters can be rather cold. To the south and east, Israel is a desert, with a climate that is both hot and dry during the day with marked drops in temperature during the night. Between these two main areas, the desert and the Mediterranean regions, lies the semi-arid zone, where the climate is a transitional one.

Fittingly, Israel is a land characterized by bright sunshine and its amounts of light and sun radiation are among the highest recorded in the world. This ensures any visitor a lovely suntan, but also requires taking the appropriate protection.

Most of the country’s precipitation is provided by the rainy winters, with the Hermon, as the land’s highest mountainous peak, being covered by snow every single year. The majority of the Mediterranean climate area sees more than 400 millimeters of rain falling each year, while the desert areas are marked by a rainfall of less than 250 millimeters in the same period of time. The semi-arid region is characterized by rainfall of somewhere between 300 and 400 millimeters annually. While the rainy season officially starts in October and ends in May, the majority of the rains fall during the months of December to February. The heat which marks the dry season peaks around the months of July and August.

The temperatures are generally quite comfortable during the months of September to November and April through June. This time of the year is marked by few rains and sunny days, making it ideal for beach going and pleasant hiking through the desert areas.

When visiting during the summer months, one should pack light clothing and it’s also recommended to bring bathing suits. If winter is the time of visit, one should pack warm clothes and just in case, also bring an umbrella. The winter tends to be quite comfortable, making outdoors hiking a wonderfully pleasant option. If one encounters an unusually rainy week, the southern port city of Eilat can always offer shelter as it is practically perpetually sunny.