Cyprus braces as mini medicane gathers force

A low pressure system from the west is affecting Cyprus, with officials warning over strong winds and heavy rains on Tuesday night and in the daytime on Wednesday, but conditions will improve after mid-week.

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Weather officials have issued a yellow warning from Tuesday evening at 8pm through Wednesday afternoon at 5pm, citing isolated powerful thunderstorms, heavy rains, and possible hail.

Different systems including one moving from the west are expected to affect local conditions, with severe patterns expected to intensify rapidly over parts of the island, including precipitation between 35 and 50 millimeters per hour throughout the duration of the yellow warning.

Both brief “popcorn” convections and larger thunderstorms are included in the forecast during the cycle of the storm alert.

Tuesday evening skies will be partly cloudy and at times cloudy, with thunderstorms expected in the north and west. Powerful winds from the south could also reach up to 6 points on the Beaufort scale, while local showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected along with chances of hail.  

Temperature lows will drop down to 8 degrees Celsius inland, around 13 along the coast, while it will be two (2) degrees higher up in the mountains where frost is expected to form overnight.

Wednesday skies will be mostly cloudy with local showers and isolated thunderstorms, with possible hail expected during powerful storms and heavy rains.

Snow Wednesday, improved conditions later on

Snow or sleet is expected in the Troodos Mountains while very strong winds will persist through the late afternoon, when weather conditions will begin to improve gradually as a high pressure system moves in.

Temperature highs will reach 17 degrees in the interior and along the coast while it will be seven (7) degrees higher up.

Thursday weather will feature increasing clouds on and off with temperature levels rising while Friday skies will start the day mostly clear but gradually become cloudy.

It will be mostly clear on Saturday.

Island goes under flood watch again as heavy rains and powerful winds could strike during severe weather alert, conditions improve after mid-week