May 28, 2015, Updated June 13, 2015
Elephants enjoy a swim at Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo on an extremely hot summer day, on May 27, 2015. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Elephants enjoy a swim at Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo on an extremely hot summer day, on May 27, 2015. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Israelis are used to warm summer weather but this week has notched unseasonably hot temperatures, sending the mercury over 100° F (38° C) in most parts of the country. The Israel Meteorological Service reports that some cities even recorded the highest May temperatures since 1970.

Paran, a moshav community about 100 kilometers north of Eilat in the Arava Desert, scored the dubious record for highest temperature in the country — 113° F (45° C) on Wednesday (May 27).

Animals at the country’s zoos offered up some of the cutest “cooling off” photos as they played in water pools and ate frozen fruit.

A brown Syrian bear enjoys a frozen melon and a swim at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
A brown Syrian bear enjoys a frozen melon and a swim at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Israelis swarmed to beaches (even though jellyfish season has begun) and to public swimming pools in a futile attempt to beat the heat. Many residents also jumped into city fountains for a quick watering down.

Children try to cool off in a water fountain in Jerusalem. (Photo by Hadas Parush/FLASh90)
Children try to cool off in a water fountain in Jerusalem. (Photo by Hadas Parush/FLASH90)

Brush fires were reported across the country.

The heatwave broke today and temperatures are back to seasonal averages of 79° F (26° C).

An elephant enjoys a fruit snack and swim at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
An elephant enjoys a fruit snack and swim at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

More on extreme weather