Low pressure combined with a cold air mass and strong northern winds are affecting Cyprus, with snowfall occurring in the mountainous areas, according to the Meteorological Department.
Due to the snowfall and frost in the Troodos areas, the road network in the mountains is impacted, with the Police advising motorists to exercise particular caution.
The depth of snow early in the morning was 13 centimeters at Troodos Square and 16 centimeters at the highest peaks of Troodos.
The Meteorological Department has said that on Thursday the weather will be partly cloudy, with isolated showers possible in the beginning, mainly in the west and north, while light snow will fall in the mountainous areas. Winds will predominantly come from the north, moderate to strong at 4 to 5 Beaufort, and occasionally up to very strong at 6 Beaufort. The sea will be rough. Temperatures will rise to 12 degrees inland, around 14 along the coasts, and to 1 degree in the higher mountains, where frost will form.
In the evening, the weather will be locally mainly cloudy with a chance of light rain along the coasts, while light snowfall is expected over the mountains.
Winds will blow from the northwest to northeast, weak to moderate at 3 to 4 Beaufort, and occasionally in windward areas reaching 5 Beaufort. The sea will be slightly rough to rough in the south and east but rough in the west and north. Temperatures will drop to 2 degrees inland, 8 degrees along the northern coasts, around 6 degrees along the other coasts, and to -4 degrees in the higher mountains. In the mountainous, semi-mountainous areas, and certain regions inland, frost is expected.
According to the Police, some roads in the Limassol, Morphou and Nicosia district are open only to vehicles with four-wheel drive or equipped with snow chains.
The Police advise caution to those traveling on the road network, urging them to comply with the traffic code.
Some of the lowest temperatures recorded last night, according to preliminary data, appear to have been in the following areas:
- Chromio: -7.4°C
- Troodos Square: -6.1°C
- Prodromos: -5.2°C
- Kyperounta: -5°C
- Platania: -2.5°C
- Agros: -0.2°C
- Saittas: -0.1°C
- Eptagoneia: 0.3°C
- Lysos: 0.5°C
- Pyrgos: 1.2°C
- Athienou: 2.5°C
- Kathikas: 2.8°C
Significant rainfall has also been recorded over the past 24 hours in various areas of the island, mainly in mountainous and semi-mountainous regions. Further details on the total rainfall of recent days will be provided in a post later today, notes the Meteorological Service.
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Featured photo source: chooseyourcyprus.com
Edited from: CNA