Israelis scrambled to cool off Wednesday in the face of a scorching heatwave, which sparked brush fires, caused flight delays and led to numerous cases of dehydration and fainting.

Temperatures topped 100º F (38º C) in most parts of the country, according to the Israel Meteorological Service, with some places recording the highest May temperatures since 1970.

Some cities in southern Israel reported highs of 111º F, the private Meteo-Tech weather forecasting company said, including communities near the resort city of Eilat.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Paran, just north of Eilat, notched the highest temperature in the country, topping out at 113º F (45º C).

In Tel Aviv, residents sweated through 108º F (42º C) temperatures, while Jerusalemites were treated to a relatively cool high of 100º F (38º C) according to Meteo-tech.

In Nahal Besor, in the northern Negev, 111.7º F (44.3º C) marked the highest ever recorded temperature, according to the Israel Hayom newspaper.

On Wednesday night, lingering stifling heat was accompanied by tropical rain showers in several locations throughout the country, the service reported.

Blazes were reported in the Golan Heights, Jerusalem, outside of Beit Shemesh, and in the northern West Bank.

The heatwave is expected to break later Thursday, with seasonal averages returning and a further cooling over the weekend that could bring some unseasonable sprinkles.