Climate of Cyprus

Cyprus has a subtropical climate - Mediterranean and semi-arid type - ''Csa'' and ''BSh''according to Köppen climate classification, with very mild winters on sea level and warm to hot summers. Snow is possible only in the Troodos mountains in the central part of the island. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry.

Temperatures

Cyprus has one of the warmest climates and warmest winters in the Mediterranean part of the European Union. The average annual temperature on the coast is around during the day and at night. Generally, the warm season lasts about eight months. It begins in April, with average temperatures of during the day and at night, and ends in November, with average temperatures of during the day and at night. In the remaining four months of the year, the temperatures tend to remain mild, while sometimes exceeding during the day.
In Limassol, in the period January–February, the average maximum temperature is during the day and at night.
In other coastal locations in Cyprus, the temperature is generally during the day and at night.
In March and December in Limassol the average is during the day and at night; other coastal locations in Cyprus are generally during the day and at night.

The middle of summer (July and August) is usually hot, with an average maximum coastal temperature of around during the day and around at night.
In the centre of the island (the highlands) the average temperature exceeds ).
In June and September on the coast the average maximum temperature is usually around during the day and around at night.
While large temperature fluctuations are rare on the coast, the centre of Cyprus has more variations – typically colder winters and hotter summers.

Temperature of sea

The average annual temperature of the sea around Cyprus is , from in February to in August (depending on the location). In the seven months from May to November the average sea temperature exceeds .

Sunshine

In winter, Cyprus receives an average of 5–6 hours of sunlight per day, half of the 12–13 hours experienced at the height of summer. This is about double that of cities in the northern half of Europe; for comparison, London has 1,461 hours. However, in winter there can be more than four times more sunshine; for comparison, London has 37 hours while coastal locations in Cyprus have around 180 hours of sunshine in December (that is, as much as in May in London).

Charts of selected locations

On the coast

Inland

Precipitation

The higher mountain areas are cooler and moister than the rest of the island. They receive the heaviest annual rainfall, which may be as much as . Sharp frost also occurs in the higher districts, which are usually blanketed with snow during the first months of the year. Precipitation increases from up the south-western windward slopes to nearly at the top of the Troodos massif. The narrow ridge of the Kyrenia range, stretching from west to east along the extreme north of the island produces a relatively small increase in rainfall of around along its ridge at an elevation of . Plains along the northern coast and in the Karpass Peninsula area average of annual rainfall. The least rainfall occurs in the Mesaoria, with a year. Variability in annual rainfall is characteristic for the island, however, and droughts are frequent and sometimes severe. Statistical analysis of rainfall in Cyprus reveals a decreasing trend of rainfall amounts in the last 30 years.

Rainfall in the warmer months contributes little or nothing to water resources and agriculture. Autumn and winter rainfall, on which agriculture and water supply generally depend, is somewhat variable from year to year.

Other information

The Mediterranean climate, warm and rather dry, with rainfall mainly between November and March, favors agriculture. In general, the island experiences mild wet winters and dry hot summers. Variations in temperature and rainfall are governed by altitude and, to a lesser extent, distance from the coast. Hot, dry summers from mid-May to mid-September and rainy, rather changeable winters from November to mid-March are separated by short autumn and spring seasons.

In summer the island is mainly under the influence of a shallow trough of low pressure extending from the great continental depression centred over Western Asia. It is a season of high temperatures with almost cloudless skies.

In winter Cyprus is near the track of fairly frequent small depressions which cross the Mediterranean Sea from west to east between the continental anticyclone of Eurasia and the generally low pressure belt of North Africa. These depressions give periods of disturbed weather usually lasting for a day or so and produce most of the annual precipitation, the average rainfall from December to February being about 60% of the average annual total precipitation for the island as a whole, which is .

Humidity

Relative humidity of the air is on average between 60% and 80% in winter and between 40% and 60% in summer with even lower values over inland areas around midday. Fog is infrequent and visibility is generally very good. Sunshine is abundant during the whole year and particularly from April to September when the average duration of bright sunshine exceeds 11 hours per day.

Winds

Winds are generally light to moderate and variable in direction. Strong winds may occur sometimes, but gales are infrequent over Cyprus and are mainly confined to exposed coastal areas as well as areas at high elevation.

Temperature and precipitation charts

See also

* Climate change in Cyprus

References

{{Asia topic, Climate of

Cyprus
Geography of Cyprus