Summer Heat Wave Has Israelis Sweltering

JERUSALEM, Israel -- An intense summer heat wave has a lot of Israelis staying inside as much as possible.

Residents in and around Jerusalem and in the Golan Heights have it a little easier, with cooler mornings and evenings because of the higher altitude.

Other parts of the country deal with higher humidity as well, making it feel even hotter. And many Israelis count on fans, rather than air conditioning, to keep them comfortable in the summer months.

The unusually high temperatures prompted the Israeli Parks Authority to close several hiking trails around the country and all hiking trails around Eilat, Israel's southernmost resort city.

The authority suggested that people not hike during the heat wave, but if they do, plan carefully, take lots of water, wear a hat and take the more user-friendly trails.

The extreme heat is expected to last through next Wednesday, with temperatures hovering between the high 90s and low 100s.