Weather Locations in Cyprus

Cyprus Weather Overview

Cyprus is located in the East of the Mediterranean, lying just south of Turkey, north of Egypt and to the south east of Greece. Its location in the Med leads it to enjoy a fairly typical sunny Mediterranean climate; however its proximity to southwest Asia makes it one of the hottest parts of the Mediterranean, especially in midsummer.

Mediterranean climates are characterised by long and dry summers and fairly mild winters. The shoulder seasons of autumn and spring are generally quite short and play host to favourable, mild conditions.

Like most Mediterranean climates, especially those areas surrounded by large bodies of water, the skies are often cloudless in summer, the heat can at times be blistering but the sea breeze cools down the coastal areas creating a refreshing and enjoyable environment.

Winters in Cyprus are on the whole fairly mild, and snow is only observed at higher altitudes and very rarely in the lower regions. The Troödos mountains are located in the centre of the island and is the biggest mountain range in the country. At these higher elevations the temperatures are much colder than in the low lands, and are the only area in the country that witnesses temperature extremes.

The centre of the island consists of two major mountain ranges, the Kyrenia range in the north and the Troödos range in the south. These ranges rise to over 6,000 ft- as a result they each have cooler and wetter climates the supports a more fertile environment.

The Mesaoria plain lies to the north east in between these two mountain ranges (Mesaoria literally translates to ‘between the mountains’ in Greek.) The plain is bare, dry and fairly barren. The only trees which are present have been planted as windbreaks, and the only plants that grow are quickly destroyed by grazing animals. Rainfall on the plain is much lower than on the nearby mountains, and due to its lower altitude and distance from the sea temperatures can often be uncomfortably hot.  The plain is also abundant in calcium carbonate, which is locally referred to as ‘Kafkalla.’ The calcium carbonate has been compacted into a hardpan, which can be a problematic as it impends the drainage of water and restricts the growth of plants hence why the area is quite desolate in parts.

Cyprus as a whole is under the influence of a shallow low pressure trough which extends from the great continental depression that is centred over southwest Asia, so as a result summers are hot and the skies during these months are often completely cloudless.

Cyprus’ capital Nicosia (known locally as Lefkosia or Lefkosha) is located almost directly in the centre of the island. The city experiences scorching summers, a result of its distance from the coast.

Summer sees Nicosia with average maximums of 37 degrees in July and August and average minimums of a warm 18 to 21 degrees through June to September. In the past, each month from May to October (inclusive) have all seen maximum temperatures in excess of 40 degrees, with June, July and August each seeing highs of a blistering 44 degrees. December to March sees average lows of 5 to 7 degrees and average highs of 15 to 19 degrees. The autumn and spring seasons see average temperatures in Nicosia range from 10 to 29 degrees, and can often see temperatures in the low to mid 30’s.

January is the area’s wettest month, with Nicosia averaging 14 wet days throughout the month. Rain begins to die off in about April and doesn’t restart again until October, with the height of summer often seeing no precipitation what so ever.

As you head south from Nicosia you will reach the coast which is home to the islands second largest city of Limassol and popular tourist resort and port city of Larnaca.

Larnaca lies at one of the lowest altitude points in Cyprus, this combined with its coastal locations results in it enjoying gorgeous weather year round. The coast as whole will not be as hot as the low lying inland regions as the region benefits from the cooling Mediterranean winds than blow across the coast, particularly in the evenings. June and September generally see average daily temperatures of 24 and 25 degrees (respectively) with the middle summer months of July and August seeing higher averages of 26 and 27 degrees. During the summer months there is often very little to no rainfall.

Limassol experiences a fairly similar climate to Larnaca. Summer is the longest season and sees the area average temperatures in the mid to high 20’s. Summer days on average see 12 hours of sunshine beginning from May and continuing through until October. June, July and August see average highs of 27 to 29 degrees. Due to its proximity to the ocean Limassol, Larnaca and the southern coast as a whole is much cooler than other Cyprian inland destinations.

The northern coast of Cyprus is climatically very similar to the southern coast. Temperatures start to warm up by late April and May, peaking in July which is when the area will often see temperatures in excess of 40 degrees.

Temperatures remain warm throughout October, and it is not uncommon for temperatures to be sitting as high as 26 degrees. By mid November the mercury begins to fall again and stays relatively cooler until about March.

Kyrenia is the northern coasts largest city, and is hot in summer and mild in winter. May to October sees averages highs range from 26 degrees (May) up to 33 degrees (July/August.) During this time there is also very minimal and often non existent rainfall.

January is Kyrenia’s coldest month, experiencing a very mild average temperature range of 9 to 16 degrees. January also sees the city and surrounding area with the greatest rainfall, averaging 13 rain days throughout the month.

Cyprus as a whole remains very sunny throughout the entirety of the year. On average the number of daily hours of sunshine ranges from six in midwinter to twelve or thirteen in midsummer.

Sea temperatures are warm throughout summer but have a tendency to be  rather chilly from December until early May.

If you are not a fan of high temperatures then it is best to visit Cyprus in the off season of Spring- the weather is still generally sunny and warm and the island is abundant with flowering plants and blossoming trees. Autumn is also an enjoyable time to visit, however the scorching summer results in the island drying out considerably and only returning to its luscious beauty once it has experienced its winter rainfall.

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