A heavy snowstorm has shut down roads leading in and out of Jerusalem and blanketed Israel's desert with a rare layer of white. Jerusalem municipality spokeswoman Brachie Sprung said 25 centimeters (10 inches) have already been dumped on the city, with 10 centimeters (four inches) more expected later in the day. Desert towns of Beersheba, Dimona and Yerucham, which seldom see snow, were sprinkled with white, and residents of Arad proudly showed off a snowman. Residents of the North lauded authorities for being extremely well prepared this time around, unlike previous storms when thousands were left without power or access. "The preparation was perfect," said Safed Mayor Ilan Shohat. "This year, we surprised the snow, not the other way around." Snow has also been falling since Thursday in Lebanon, and on Friday it paralyzed most streets in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
