A rare and heavy winter snowstorm hit parts of Israel, including Jerusalem, Thursday and into Friday, prompting school closures and blocking access to the capital.
Police and military rescue units began a massive operation to rescue hundreds of stranded drivers stuck on roads near Jerusalem early Friday morning, as mounting snow made approaches to the area impassable.
The capital saw some 10 centimeters — nearly four inches — of snow on Thursday, a December record, and forecasters predicted the white stuff would continue falling late into Friday.
The wet weather, typical of an early winter storm, combined with unusually low temperatures to blanket the capital and other mountainous areas, including the West Bank, the Galilee and the Golan Heights, in snow.
Officials said the roads into Jerusalem would remain closed until at least 6 a.m. Friday and asked drivers to not try to reach the city overnight or Friday morning, Times of Israel informs.
