Cyprus under high wind warning

A wind advisory was in effect Thursday as weather officials warned of very strong to near-gale winds expected to pound different parts of the island.

Weather officials issued a yellow warning from late Wednesday night until Thursday afternoon at 3pm, saying southwesterly to westerly winds were expected to affect parts in the mountains as well as inland areas.

Wind activity could typically range between 6 to 7 points on the Beaufort scale, while more intense winds reaching 9 Beaufort were expected to impact local areas at times in the west, north, as well as southern coastal areas.

Morning showers were expected on Thursday but conditions were set to improve later in the day, with temperature highs reaching 14 degrees Celsius inland, 16 in coastal areas, while it will be 2 degrees high up in the mountains where frost conditions are likely.

Evening skies will be mostly cloudy with local showers likely but conditions will once again improve gradually through the night. Strong or very strong winds will continue with temperature lows dropping to 7 degrees inland, 10 in the south and east, 12 in all other coastal regions, and three below zero (-3) higher up where frost will form overnight.

Rainy skies are also expected Friday and over the weekend in Cyprus.

Weather in Ukraine remains cold with experts predicting snow this week could affect operations in both Russian and Ukrainian forces.