Weather Locations in Cyprus

Cyprus Weather Overview

Cyprus is located in the east of the Mediterranean, just south of Turkey, north of Egypt and southeast 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, rainy winters. The shoulder seasons of autumn and spring are generally quite short and experience mild conditions. Cyprus is under the influence of a shallow low pressure trough which extends from the great continental depression that is centred over southwest Asia. As a result summer heat can at times be unbearable and the skies during these months are often completely cloudless. This also keeps winters around the coast exceptionally mild; snow is only observed at higher altitudes and only very rarely in the lower regions.

Cyprus as a whole remains very sunny throughout 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.

Summer is the most popular season for its endless heat and sun. If you are not a fan of high temperatures then it is best to visit Cyprus in the off season of spring when the weather is sunny and but not too hot and the island is in full bloom. Autumn is also an enjoyable time to visit, though the scorching summer results in the island drying out considerably, only returning to its green beauty after the winter rainfall.

Coastal Cyprus

There is little climatic variation from north to south though the west tends to be very slightly cooler and wetter due to the westerly direction of the prevailing winds. Temperatures start to warm up by late April and early May, and peak in July. The peak months often see temperatures reaching the 40s. The coast as whole will not be as hot as inland regions as it benefits from the cooling Mediterranean waters and winds that blow across the coast, particularly in the evenings. Summer weather in all Cyprian coastal resorts is generally considered fantastic. Winters tend to see average high temperatures in the mid teens though this is often shared amongst sunny days when the temperature gets up to 20°C and blustery, wet days when it might not get much above 10°C. It is warmer around the coast than inland in winter again due to the moderating influence of the Mediterranean.

Larnaca lies at one of the lowest altitude points in Cyprus, on the south coast in a sheltered bay. June and September see average daily highs of 30°C while July and August see 32°C. During the summer months there is often no rainfall. Limassol, to the west, experiences summer highs usually a couple degrees cooler than Larnaca. Winter lows all around the coast sit between averages of 14°C and 16°C. This is when the majority of the rain falls. Rainfall levels peak in December and January and tend to be moderate in the lead up and fall off, getting lower and lower towards summer.

Central Cyprus

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 36°C in July and August and average minimums of 18°C to 21°C from June to September. In the past, each month from May to October has seen maximum temperatures in excess of 40°C, with June, July and August each seeing highs of a blistering 44°C. December to March sees average lows of 5°C to 7°C and average highs of 15°C to 19°C. The autumn and spring seasons see average temperatures in the mid 20s. 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 whatsoever.

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 of their altitudes and the barrier they create to wind, they both have cooler and wetter climates and so are green environments.

The Mesaoria plain lies to the northeast 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 anywhere else on the island. Due to its low 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 impedes the drainage of water and restricts the growth of plants.

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