Rain moves back into the picture

Unstable weather conditions are affecting the area over Cyprus this week, with chances of rain through Friday and a temperature plunge ending before the weekend.

According to weather officials, an unstable air mass is affecting the island through the end of the workweek, with a temperature drop expected Thursday and overall levels rising back up again on Friday.

Wednesday skies will be fair with increasing clouds over local areas, while scattered cloudy skies are expected in parts of the island along with chances of showers and possibly thunderstorms.

Stormy weather will initially affect areas in the western half of the island while local showers and thunderstorms are also likely in the afternoon in other parts as well, while strong westerly and southwesterly strong winds are also expected.

Temperature highs will reach 21 degrees Celsius inland, around 20 in the east and southeast, 19 in all other coastal regions, while it will be 11 degrees high up in the mountains.

Evening skies will be mixed with mostly clear weather at times but also periods of cloud formations, with low chances of showers and even thunderstorms mainly along coastal regions, when winds are also expected to pick up. Snow is expected high up in the mountains.

Temperature lows will drop to 5 degrees in the interior, around 10 out west, 8 in all other coastal regions, while it will be one degree below zero (-1) high up in the mountains where frost is expected to form overnight.

Thursday skies out west will be dominated by stormy weather in the early morning, with cloudy formations and chances of showers and thunderstorms moving towards the mountains , where snow is also expected to fall.

But Thursday evening things are expected to change, with conditions improving overnight while fair skies are expected Friday with chances of rain persisting over the mountains but also coastal areas and overall temperatures starting to go up.

Later on Friday pop-up showers are also expected in the east and southeast while chances of rain and thunderstorms will remain in the mountains and foothill areas. Evening conditions will once again improve while Saturday skies will be mostly clear but with increasing cloud formations over local areas. Temperatures are expected to continue to rise early weekend.