A drop in temperature and isolated showers are expected on Tsiknopempti, according to Panayiotis Georgiou, a Meteorological Officer at the Meteorology Department, as the cold air mass “Coral” is set to affect Cyprus in the coming days. However, when asked for a forecast for the following week, which will feature numerous carnival events, he stated that no rain is expected at this stage.
Mr Georgiou mentioned that isolated showers, with a slight chance of thunderstorms, are expected today until the afternoon. If a thunderstorm occurs, there is also a possibility of hail, along with some snowfall in the mountainous areas. Winds will strengthen to 4-5 Beaufort in the western coastal and northern regions, while elsewhere they will range from 3-4 Beaufort.
Tonight, there is a chance of isolated showers and light snowfall in the mountains, with northwesterly winds strengthening to 4-5 Beaufort. Temperatures tonight will drop to 6°C inland, 9°C in coastal areas, and 0°C in the highest mountains.
Limited rainfall on Tsiknopempti
Isolated showers and snowfall in the mountainous or semi-mountainous regions are expected on Tsiknopempti, Mr Georgiou said, adding that winds will strengthen to 4-5 Beaufort, occasionally reaching 5-6 Beaufort. Temperatures are forecast to be significantly below seasonal averages, dropping by 4 or even 5°C, from 18-19°C down to 13-14°C inland, 15°C on the coast, and 5°C in the highest mountains.
When asked about the areas where rain is expected on Thursday, he responded that it could occur in coastal or inland areas, but the phenomenon would be minimal compared to previous days.
Further temperature drops are expected from Friday, with potentially more widespread weather events on Saturday, including local showers, thunderstorms, and snowfall in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas. When asked about the expected extent of snowfall, he stated that it is not expected to be significant.
“Nothing significant is expected on Sunday,” he noted, explaining that while the weather will be mostly cloudy, no rainfall is anticipated. However, temperatures will remain low, around 10°C on the coast, while inland, the maximum daytime temperature may reach 7-8°C.
Carnival without rain
When asked about the weather forecast for the following week, Mr Georgiou said that while it is still early to predict with certainty, current indications suggest only occasional cloud cover with no expected rain. However, he noted that temperatures from Monday onwards are expected to rise, reaching more typical seasonal levels throughout the week.
Rainfall at 65% for the hydrological year
Mr Georgiou also reported that rainfall for the current hydrological year, from 1 October to today, stands at only 65% of the average. He noted that January’s rainfall was particularly low, at just 14%, while February so far has reached 26%.
Also read: Power supply under strain ahead of extremely cold weather
Source: CNA
