Cyprus faces a week of generally fine weather punctuated by isolated showers before a sharp cold snap arrives at the weekend, bringing rain, strong winds and possible snow on the highest Troodos peaks, the Department of Meteorology and weather platform KitasWeather said.
Thursday will start with localised low cloud and patchy fog in places, clearing quickly to mainly sunny skies across most of the island, the Department of Meteorology said. Cloud building from midday onwards is expected to produce isolated showers or thunderstorms, mainly in the mountains and northern areas.
Winds will blow from the south-east to south-west at force three in the morning, shifting to south-west to north-west at force three to four by the afternoon. Seas will be smooth to slight.
Temperatures will reach around 28 degrees Celsius inland, around 24 on most coasts, around 22 on the western coast and around 18 in the higher mountains.
Friday will see periods of increased cloud, with isolated showers expected from midday onwards, mainly in the mountains and possibly in some inland areas.
Saturday will be partly to temporarily cloudy, with isolated showers or thunderstorms expected mainly after midday, particularly in the mountains, inland areas and the north. Showers or thunderstorms are also expected in places during the evening.
Sunday will bring temporary cloud and localised showers or thunderstorms, with conditions deteriorating mainly in the west by the evening. Winds will be significantly stronger.
Temperatures will fall noticeably through to Sunday, dropping below seasonal averages, the Department of Meteorology said.
The weekend deterioration is linked to an Omega Block forming over Europe, KitasWeather said, with a planetary-scale trough and an unusually cold air mass pushing south from northeastern Europe through Greece and Turkey toward the eastern Mediterranean. The cold air mass arrives Sunday night, pushing temperatures well below seasonal norms. Snow flurries or brief snowfall are possible on the highest Troodos peaks on Sunday night and into Monday, KitasWeather said.