This historical books of the Bible contain only two notices of
snow actually falling-- (2 Samuel 23:20) 1Macc 13:22; but the
allusions in the poetical books are so numerous that there can
be no doubt as to its being an ordinary occurrence in the winter
months. (Psalms 147:16; 148:8) The snow lies deep in the ravines
of the highest ridge of Lebanon until the summer is far advanced
and indeed never wholly disappears; the summit of Hermon also
perpetually glistens with frozen snow. From these sources
probably the Jews obtained their supplies of ice for the purpose
of cooling their beverages in summer. (Proverbs 25:13) The
liability to snow must of course vary considerably in a country
of such varying altitude as Palestine. At Jerusalem snow often
falls to the depth of a foot or more in january or February, but
it seldom lies. At Nazareth it falls more frequently and
deeply,a nd it has been observed to fall even in the maritime
plain of Joppa and about Carmel.