For today, conditions will be mostly clear at first, although low cloud may develop locally along the coast. By midday and into the afternoon, increased cloud is expected to bring isolated showers or a thunderstorm, mainly in mountainous and inland areas. Hail cannot be ruled out in storm conditions.
Temperatures will reach around 33°C inland, 26°C on the western and south-western coasts, about 29°C on the rest of the coast and 24°C in higher mountainous areas.
Winds will blow mainly south-westerly to north-westerly at 3 to 4 Beaufort, strengthening to around 5 Beaufort along coastal areas later in the day. The sea will be generally slight to a little rough.
On Sunday, temperatures are expected to rise further. “We are seeing an increase of two, possibly three degrees compared with recent days,” a Meteorological Service spokesperson said, with values reaching around 36°C inland, 28 to 30°C on the coast and about 26°C in the mountains.
These temperatures are above seasonal averages and are expected to remain at similar levels until Wednesday.
Conditions stable into midweek
From Monday to Wednesday, weather conditions are expected to remain broadly similar, with mainly clear skies in coastal areas and a continued chance of isolated showers or storms in the afternoon, especially inland and over higher ground.
Asked whether temperatures might decline later in the week, the spokesperson said there is no indication of a drop. “Temperatures appear set to remain at these elevated levels,” he noted.
However, there are no signs of extreme heat events. “Temperatures are not expected to reach 40°C. We are looking at around 35–36°C inland and close to 30°C on the coast,” he added.
El Niño outlook
On the El Niño phenomenon, the Meteorological Service said there is no fixed timeline for its onset.
“There is no specific date when one can say it will begin,” the spokesperson said, adding that current indications point to a possible development from autumn onwards.
He explained that El Niño forms in the Pacific Ocean and can bring a range of impacts globally, including drought, heatwaves and, in some regions, heavy rainfall.
Asked whether Cyprus could be affected, he said this cannot be ruled out, although the impact may be less pronounced than in other parts of the world.
Source: CNA
