Former Director of the Department of Meteorology, Kleanthis Nicolaides, appeared on the programme Protoselido, where he commented on yesterday’s snowfall, emphasising that the last time a similar event occurred was on 20 April 2019, with another snowfall recorded on 22 March 2022.
As he explained, April is generally a mild month, typically marked by thunderstorm activity. “It is the second transitional month from winter to summer,” he said, noting that baroclinic systems, such as the one recently observed, appear more rarely.
Regarding the weather in the coming days, Mr Nicolaides noted that temperatures are expected to rise significantly, with conditions remaining mostly clear. “Today we will be one or two degrees above yesterday’s levels, and gradually, by Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, and Holy Thursday, temperatures may reach 28–29 degrees Celsius,” he said.
For Good Friday, forecasts predict temperatures reaching up to 30°C inland, while on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday the weather is expected to remain mostly clear, with a slight drop in temperature.
As for the longer-term outlook, Mr Nicolaides warned that the next quarter is expected to be dry and warm, which increases the risk of wildfires and water consumption. “This means an elevated risk to the safety of our forests and increased water usage,” he stressed.
Regarding cloud seeding, he acknowledged that it remains a practice that raises reservations. “It is not the same cloud seeding that was done in Cyprus between 1971 and 1973. I myself have some concerns,” he said. However, due to the serious water shortage situation, he suggested that the government should reconsider the method. “We don’t have many options or much leeway,” he added, also referencing Israel’s experience, where the method was applied but later halted because it was not implemented according to the developer’s recommendations.
Also read: Cyprus Institute urges immediate climate adaptation investment
