Wildfires scorch Israel; Middle East heat wave to wane this weekend

By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

By Adam Douty, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

The hottest weather in recent years helped fuel several dangerous wildfires across Israel on Thursday and Friday.

Temperatures peaked at 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) in Tel Aviv on Thursday and were followed by a high of 42 C (108 F) on Friday. The normal high is only 28 C (83 F) for mid- to late May.

Around 3,500 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as fires destroyed dozens of residences across the country, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Firefighters extinguish a forest fire near Kfar Uriya on Thursday, May 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

The major highway connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was closed to traffic for a time on Thursday due to multiple fires near the roadway.

Several people were treated for injuries from the wildfires; however, no fatalities had been reported as of Friday morning.

The fires were contained on Friday as aid from Italy, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus and Egypt arrived following a request from Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Heat also scorched Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and southern Turkey late in the past week.

A high temperature of 45.6 C (114 F) was reported in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday, while a high near 42 C (107-108 F) was reported in Adana, Turkey, on Friday.

The heat quickly faded across Israel on Saturday, with an afternoon high temperature of 28 C (82 F) in Tel Aviv. Similar temperatures were felt along the western coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Afternoon temperatures into the start of the coming week are expected to be similar.

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Meanwhile, the core of the heat will shift eastward, affecting much of Iraq, eastern Saudi Arabia and southwestern Iran.

High temperatures through the start of the coming week are expected to surpass 40 C (104 F) across a large region, including in Baghdad, Kuwait and Riyadh.

The hottest areas in southern Iraq could reach a scorching 46 C (115 F).

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