Flooded roads, flowing rivers, heavy rains and hail - Pedieos has overflowed (video)

Heavy rains are pounding the island bringing with it a slew of problems.  The fire brigade is on alert as roads turned into rivers resulting in traffic jams and while some people have become trapped in their cars due to the rising waters in some areas.

As you will see in the videos posted on the page "CYPRUS KAIROFILOI", heavy rainfall persists and some areas have to contend with hail.

Alexandroupolis Street has been closed off due to the overflow of the Pedieos River.

Due to the weather conditions, the roads from Karvouna - Troodos, Platron - Troodos and Prodromou - Troodos are only open to vehicles equipped with four-wheel drive or with anti-skid chains. Roads in the Troodos area have become dangerous due to landslides and rockslides.  And because of dense fog, visibility is reported at zero.

In the area of ​​Pentakomou on the Nicosia - Limassol highway visibility is limited due to hailstorms.

Drivers are advised to be especially careful and to drive at low speeds while keeping their headlights on.

Police are urging people to limit their movements due to the extreme weather

In Nicosia and Limassol, there have been at least 30 calls to the local Fire Brigade for assistance.  According to the Spokesperson of the Fire Service Andreas Kettis, they have so far assisted in about 15 cases.  The Civil Defense has also been called in to assist.

A barometric low between Rhodes and Crete will move slowly to the south and will affect the region of Cyprus until Friday afternoon.

In the afternoon the weather will be mostly cloudy, with occasional rains and isolated thunderstorms. Locally, the effects are expected to be prolonged or even intense. Snow or sleet is expected on the highest peaks of Troodos. The winds will blow southeast and locally east moderate to strong at 4 to 5 Beaufort and locally at times at 6 Beaufort. Rough seas are expected.

Tonight, the weather will remain mostly cloudy, with occasional rains and isolated thunderstorms. Again the effects are expected to be prolonged or even intense. Snow or sleet is expected on the highest peaks of Troodos. The winds will blow mainly east to southeast, moderate and locally strong at 4 to 5 Beaufort. And mainly on the windward west and north coasts very strong winds will blow at 6 Beaufort. The sea will be rough and wavy. The temperature will drop to around 8 degrees inland, around 15 on the west coast, around 13 on the rest of the coast and around 3 degrees in the higher mountains, where frost is expected.

Tomorrow the weather will be mostly cloudy, with occasional rains and isolated thunderstorms. The temperature will rise to around 16 degrees inland, around 18 on the coast and around 7 degrees in the higher mountains.

On Saturday, New Year's Day, Sunday and Monday the weather will be mostly clear, but from time to time there will be isolated clouds.

The temperature will rise slightly on Saturday and will remain the same throughout the day.

So far, 17cm of snow has fallen in Troodos.