Cyprus Mail 23 January 2020 - article by George Psyllides
Authorities urged the public to brace for strong winds on Thursday evening accompanied by low temperatures, especially in higher regions, ahead of the arrival of a cold air mass and frost.
The Met service said winds on Thursday evening were expected to reach gale force seven while temperatures in the mountains could drop to -4C.
Friday would see the island affected by a cold air mass and frost in higher regions. Temperatures are expected to return to normal over the weekend.
The head of the Met service said rain and storms were expected on Thursday evening as well as snow in areas over 600 metres. Lower regions could see some sleet.
Cleanthis Nicolaides warned that winds will gradually pick up strength, initially reaching force four to five and later six to seven, but gusts of seven to eight will also be felt.
The winds will affect areas from Akamas to Apostolos Andreas, Famagusta, but also the capes of Limassol and Larnaca.
The service has issued a yellow warning concerning the winds, in effect between 9pm and 11am on Friday.
Temperatures on Thursday evening will drop to 4C inland, 6C to 7C on the coast, and -4C in the highest regions. Frost will form in the mountains and some lower areas.
The northern wind stream will bring with it a cold air mass on Friday, with temperature settling at around 11C inland, 13C on the coasts, and below zero in the mountains.
Winds will gradually weaken on Friday, reaching force three to four by Friday afternoon.
Temperatures will show a marked rise on the weekend, reaching normal levels for the season at between 15C and 17C.
Nicolaides said the low temperatures in previous days were not the norm but were not the lowest on record.
The lowest temperature on record was in Nicosia in January 2015, at -2.3C. Prodromos, the island’s highest village, saw temperatures of about -11C in 1964. Temperatures close to -10C were recorded in Prodromos in 2016.
