Cyprus Climate

Cyprus has a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot dry summers and mild wet winters. This seasonal variation results from the fact that in summer the subtropical zone of high pressure and aridity moves northward and influences weather conditions in the Mediterranean, while in summer the low-pressure zone of the temperate latitudes moves south over the Mediterranean.

Climatic regions

Climatic conditions in Cyprus are fairly uniform, with local variations resuIting from:

situation (on the coast or inland). On the coast, thanks to the moderating influence of the sea, temperature variations over the day and over the year are less than in the interior of the island, with its more continental climate. On hot summer days winds blowing off the sea bring a degree of coolness, a relief lacking in the interior .

the alignment of the hills in relation to the prevailing winds. On the windward side of a range of hills the air masses rise and cool down, leading to the formation of clouds and in extreme cases to rain, while on the side exposed to wind the clouds break up and there is less rain .

altitude. With increasing height temperatures fall by between OSCI 0.9'F and almost 1°C/l.8°F depending on season and the humidity of the air. Rainfall increases with height.

The climatic characteristics of different parts of Cyprus are shown in the climatic diagrams on page 14, based on data from six typical weather stations: Kyrenia for the north coast; Nicosia for the Mesa6ria plain in the interior ofthe island; Famagusta forthe east coast; Limas sol for the south coast; Paphos for the west coast; and Trikoukkia (1341m/4400ft) for the Troodos Mountains.

Climatic diagrams

In the climatic diagrams the blue columns show annual rainfall in millimetres month by month in accordance with the blue scale on the right. Temperatures are shown in the orange band, the upper edge of which shows average maximum day temperatures and the lower edge average minimum night temperatures in accordance with the red scale on the right.

On the basis of these diagrams it is possible to estimate rainfall and temperatures for areas between the selected weather stations.

Rainfall in winter

The highest levels of rainfall are in winter (December and January). with figures many times higher than in Central Europe. Phases in fluenced by areas of high pressure coming from the mainland of Asia, without rain, alternate with phases influenced by areas of low pres sure, accompanied by rain. Frequently the centre of such areas of low pressure lies in the Cyprus area or in the Aegean. Altogether, however, there are only some ten or twelve days with rain in December and January. The other days are predominantly sunny. Nicosia has 170 hours of sunshine in each month, Famagusta 195 and 180. In the Troodos Mountains there is heavier cloud cover, with 120 hours of lunshine in each month and 225mm/9in. of precipitation in January. Down to a height of 1000m/330Oft the precipitation are in the form of Inow, and above 1500m/4900ft there are between 2 and 3 metres (612 and 10 feet) of snow, often lasting until the end of April and offering lIood conditions for skiing.Villa for rent in Latchi is always a great idea for villa rentals!