The Sea of Galilee is like a large freshwater lake, being about 13 miles (21 km) long and having a maximum width of about 7 miles (12 km). But it is not shallow.

There are surrounding mountains, and the surface of the Sea of Galilee is often quite warm. At times, colder air in the mountains rushes down and meets the warm surface water, creating sudden, violent windstorms on the sea.