Weather in Israel

Powerful sunsets by Flickr user RonAlmog

A common question across the web is when to visit Israel. Unlike many places, there is no bad season to visit Israel, the weather in Israel is good almost all year round! There are, however, times when it might be better to see the country, although these are just guidelines.

What are widely considered the best months are May and October. There are firstly less tourists at this time, so sites are less busy, and the weather is great! Not too hot as many find it in the summer, but less unpredictable than it is in the winter. September is also great but is often affected by the Jewish Holidays of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana which almost shut down the country for a couple of days.

The sky’s the limit when you’re in Israel by Flickr user miss pupik

Having said this, the summer months, whilst hot, are great if you dont mind the heat, and not actually as packed as you might imagine. Equally, the winter months aren’t too bad, although there are sometimes storms which last for a few days.

Israel can definitely be visited all-year round, though.

The most comfortable times to visit are Spring (March, April and May) when temperatures are on average in the low 20’s and Autumn (September, October and November) when temperatures are in the high 20’s in the center of the country. Temperatures are generally higher in the South of the country and the Galilee area.

The Winter months are still mild in Israel, although there are often storms in the coastal areas in December and January, and sometimes even snow in Jerusalem and the Galilee.

Israel is hot in the Summer with average temperatures in the center of the country over 30C and closer to 40C in the South and Galilee.

Crystal blue skies by Flickr user naama

Other factors to consider

Whilst the Autumn and Spring months have the best climate for a vacation to Israel, there are other factors to consider.

September and October are the busiest months in the Jewish calendar with Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) bringing the country to a standstill but also bringing in Jewish tourists. April-time is also busy with Passover bringing many Jewish tourists to the country. Dates of the festivals vary year on year, and it is probably best avoiding traveling here at these times.