Weather in Cyprus

 

The weather in Cyprus is fantastic pretty much all year round. The position in the Eastern Mediterranean area is of course a major reason for the hot and summery weather.

Cyprus is the southernmost country in the EU and is on the same latitude as Northern Africa. Being this close to the equator has a big influence on the temperatures and weather.

You will surely agree that the weather is fantastic if you have experienced the long and hot summer in Cyprus.

Weather in Cyprus during summer

The weather in Cyprus is very summer like in at least 7 months a year. Starting from April and until the end of October you will experience the hot summer weather in Cyprus.

From early June and until the end of September it will be hard for you to find a cloud in the skies above Cyprus. And even though the cloud cover picks up a little in the months before and after the June – September period, it will only be partly covered at worst.

You might be lucky (or unlucky depending on perspective) and actually experience rain in this period. If it rains in this period it will only be parts of the day and maximum 1-2 days a month. In June – September it is extremely that you will experience rain.

From a northern European perspective many will argue that the weather in Cyprus already in March will be good enough to classify it as summer.

Average temperature and weather information

The numbers in the table are based on the weather expectations for Limassol, which is in the middle of the Southern coast of Cyprus. The above weather expectations for Cyprus varies only a few degrees warmer or colder for most places in Cyprus.

You can read more about average temperatures for specific destinations and cities in Cyprus by selecting one of these options:

• Weather in Paphos
• Weather in Nicosia
• Weather in Larnaca
• Weather in Limassol

How the weather in Cyprus feels during the summer

The temperature and the weather in Cyprus does however not tell the full story. There is a big difference on how hot 30 degrees will feel in Cyprus compared to eg. UK or mainland european countries. You also have to consider the humidity.

Cyprus has a subtropical climate, which amongst other things includes a high relative humidity. A high humidity will make a temperature feel warmer. It is more difficult for the body to release heat to the environment since the air is more humid.

During the day the high humidity can combined with the powerful sunlight make you feel slightly uncomfortable if you do not cool yourself through shade or cold drinks. But in the evenings after sunset you will appreciate it a lot the humidity. In the evenings during the summer the weather in Cyprus really invites you to sit outside and relax with a cold glass of white wine, while you are enjoying the temperature. This is one of the things that make the summer in Cyprus absolutely fantastic.

Strong sunlight

Staying in the sun in Cyprus feels warm because the sun rays are strong. Therefore it is really important to consider the strength of the sun rays and prepare and adjust your plans accordingly. It is definitely recommended to use sunscreen protection when you are in the sun throughout the day.

Particularly during the middle of the summer from June to August you can feel uncomfortable in the sun between noon and 3.30 pm. During these hours you should attempt to stay out of the sun and perhaps seek shade with no matter whether you are at the beach, hanging around a hotel pool of out on an adventure in the Cypriot nature. If shade is not an option or possible, make sure to drink plenty of liquids and use sunscreen protection.

If you are bringing kids to the beach or the pool a great solution is to use UV protection swimwear and some protective head wear. Apply some sunscreen protection where the swimwear do not cover (eg. arms and legs) and you and your kids won’t experience an annoying sunburn.

Summer in Cyprus starts in March

This of course depends on your perspective but already in March the Cypriot weather will remind most people from Northern Europe of the temperatures and weather they usually get during the high summer.

As early as the beginning of March the temperatures during the day will cross the 20 degrees mark and the night temperatures will be above 10. From this point the day and night temperatures continues to rise until the end of August although the increase stalls a bit from around late June. From the end of May and until the end of October the temperatures will stabilize between 28 and 35 degrees during the day and 18-22 degrees at night time.

Hot gales from Africa

As mentioned above the summer in Cyprus starts to take off in March although you will experience temperature variations. During the early summer in Cyprus you the temperatures will be boosted by hot gales from the Middle East or North Africa. These hot winds does however come with the disadvantage that they carry a lot of fine grain sand with them. The gales comes from Khamsin, which is an arabic word for hot, dry and sandy dust storms in North Africa and the Mid East.

When the direction of these gales sends these dust storms in the direction of Cyprus, the temperature increases. It also brings sand in the air which will decrease visibility and often the sand is so finely grained that it will be an issue for asthmatics.

The days with sand in the air is however limited and most often the air will be cleared during the night – courtesy of thunderstorms. The next day the air will be clear again. The same cannot be said about cars and balconies, which after these dust storms are due for a cleaning.

Sea temperatures in Cyprus

The position of the island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea also influences more than the weather in Cyprus. The warm Mediterranean seawater is a pleasure all year round. During the summer the sea temperatures will reach 28 degrees Celsius and just to make it even better, Cyprus has the best bathing water in Europe.

Even during the winter the sea temperatures does not go lower than 16 degrees in the coldest period from January to March. This is a combination of the mild winter weather in Cyprus, general warm temperatures in the area and that the East Mediterranean is closed off and unlike the western Mediterranean does not mix water with the cold Atlantic Sea.

Go skiing – swim in the sea later

The warm sea temperatures around Cyprus during the winter makes it perfect to combine skiing and swimming.  Many Cypriots are proud to say that Cyprus is one of the only places where you can go skiing and take a comfortable swim in the sea shortly afterwards. So if you happen to find yourself in Cyprus during January to March, you might want to check the options of going to Troodos to ski followed by a nice refreshing swim in the sea.

If you want to avoid driving into the mountains for the snow, you can check the Troodos snow cam here before you leave. Also consider that during snowfalls the roads to the summit might be closed, so make sure to check the weather reports for the daily weather forecast.

Weather in Cyprus in January

The Cypriot winter really kicks in around the turn of the year. If you live in the mountains in Cyprus this means that you can now expect to see snow falling soon. However, outside the mountainous areas (primarily Troodos) the weather will not really change much.

Granted, it will rain a bit more and the wind will pick up, but the temperatures will not really change much along the coastal areas. The Mediterranean sea is still warm, which keeps the temperatures fairly high as long as you are close to the sea.

In most places the temperatures in January will at least reach 15 degrees Celsius during the day and at worst you can expect the temperatures to drop to around 5 degrees at night time. If it is not too cloudy and the sun is shining, the weather in January will feel marvelous. Especially if you find a spot where you are sheltered a bit from the wind.

Cyprus weather in February

February is slightly colder than January and is the coldest month of the year in Cyprus. The weather and the temperatures are to a large extent similar to Januarys and decembers, but it just feels a bit colder.

The reason is that most homes in Cyprus do not have insulated walls or central heating. Therefore the temperatures inside will be at level with the temperatures outside unless you use your air condition units for heating. During the day this is of course not an issue with temperatures regularly reaching 18-20 degrees Celcius, but at night time it will feel cold. Not something that cannot be fixed with an extra warm sweater, a hot cup of tea and perhaps a gas heater.

March weather in Cyprus

As soon as the calendar reads March you start to expect the summer season to start to kick in. The weather gets warmer, the sun feels hotter and even the temperature of the sea start to increase again after resting as low as 16 degrees during February.

From a northern European perspective the March weather in Cyprus will feel like summer. But if you have been living in Cyprus for some time, you will still feel (and know) that there is much more to come.

It will mostly rain at night time and if you find a place where it is not too windy it is definitely warm enough to go to the beach.

Weather in Cyprus in April

If you were not completely satisfied with the weather in March, April in Cyprus offers a more stable improvement in the temperatures and weather. Sunshine hours increases to 9 hours a day and the temperatures are warm without being scorching.

If you are looking for a pre summer holiday, but still want summer temperatures, Cyprus in April is the perfect opportunity.

Cyprus weather in May

This is it. May is the month where you start to feel how the real Cypriot summer is. It is not yet any where near it’s peak, but whereas March and April mostly resembles summers in northern Europe and UK, you will get an idea of how a real Cypriot Summer feels in May.

The sun is hot and there is only the odd shower. The temperatures will reach around 25-28 degrees during the day and the temperature at night time will also increase and rarely drop below 15-17 degrees.

May is the perfect month to visit Cyprus if you want to spend time at the beach and still be able to visit some of the spectacular sights in Cyprus without your explorations being overshadowed by the more extreme temperatures in June to August.

June weather in Cyprus

The weather in Cyprus in June is often a mix between the more comfortable temperatures that can be experienced in April and May and the very hot temperatures in late June, July, August and the beginning of September.

Even in June you will experience windy days and you might also experience the odd shower, but most of the days are what you would expect from the Cyprus weather in June. There will even be the odd heat waves with up to 35 degrees. Luckily the heat is fairly simple to handle: drink plenty of water, remember to cover your head in the sun and enjoy the early afternoon hours of the day in the shade. Perhaps under a parasol next to the sea or the pool with a refreshing drink in your hand.

If you are planning to explore the sights and spend significant time in the open, we suggest that you leave early. Even as early as nine in the morning you will feel the strength of the sun and you often want to stay in the shade after 1-2 pm and the next few hours.

The weather in Cyprus in July

July is the perfect month to visit Cyprus if you are aiming for the perfect weather for a beach holiday. As well as in August you are guaranteed sunshine all day from a sky with a distinct lack of clouds and zero chances of rain in most parts of the country. Only if you visit the mountains you will be able to experience rain this time of the year.

In July there is also chances of heat waves and even with “regular” temperatures it is recommended to seek shade during the hottest hours from 1-4 pm.

Weather in August

The weather in Cyprus in August is very similar to July. It is hot, sunny and dry except for the humidity. Most days the high humidity will increase how the temperature feels to 40 or sometimes well above.

August is also just a little bit warmer than in July although that is mostly during the night where the temperature some nights will not drop below 25 degrees (Celsius).

It is also in August that most of the Cypriots have their summer leave as it is often to hot to work. If you are planning to explore Cyprus and visit the archeological sites or go explore the beautiful nature, you should consider another time of the year. You will most likely be better of by visiting Cyprus in April-May or September-October, where the weather is still warm but better suited for physical activities.

September weather in Cyprus

There is a distinct difference between how you will experience the weather in August and September in Cyprus. While the temperatures in September will still reach into the low thirties as in August, you will feel the In heat less.

Sometimes it changes over night: the humidity drops a bit, the temperatures drop a bit and the wind picks up a little. Of course the weather don’t work on a schedule but sometimes that is how it feels when living in Cyprus, a subtle overnight change to slightly cooler weather.

The weather is still great though and it is the perfect time of the year for a variety of activities. The sea temperature peaks in September and with a slight drop in how hot it feels it opens up for trekking and other physical activities as well as heading for the beach to work on that tan that will take you through the colder months.

Cyprus weather in October

As we slowly but steady approach the winter months in October, the weather turns slightly more unstable. There are still an overwhelming majority of sunny days but throughout October partially cloudy and windy days with showers are also thrown into the mix. It will of course not be cold and October is arguably a better month to visit Cyprus if you are looking to do a lot of physical activities without missing the option of heading to the beach or relaxing by the pool.

Weather in Cyprus in November

Winter is coming! It isn’t really, but the weather in November can definitely be tricky. One moment the sun will be shining from a clear sky and the next a shower will be added to the mix. Or you will experience sunny weather in one end of the city only for the rain to fall in the other end. So dress smart.

However, despite the unstable weather in November the temperatures will reach into the twenties on any given day. Even at night time the temperatures will be relatively high because of the warm sea and ground, which have been heated by the sun during the previous six months.

November often also features extraordinary views of thunderstorms at night time, which will flood the streets with water and light the sky with spectacular lightnings.

Christmas weather in Cyprus in December

As the year comes closer to its end, the sun has a much bigger influence on the weather than in most of the other months. You will experience a significant difference in temperatures and how warm it feel depending on whether the sun is out or hiding behind clouds.

As Cyprus is closer to the Equator than most other countries in Europe you will experience that the sun rays are much warmer than usual. This means that the weather, when the sun is out, is quite comfortable at around 19 degrees at daytime and around 10 at night time.