Climate and Weather
General Overview
Cyprus enjoys an intense Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers starting in mid-May and lasting until mid-September and rainy, quite mild winters from November to mid-March. Spring and autumn are effectively short intervals in between, characterised by smooth weather. With almost year-round clear skies and sunshine, daylight length ranges from 9.8 hours in December to 14.5 hours in June.
Average Temperatures
The climate of Cyprus is characterised by hot summers and mild winters. There is a significant seasonal difference between mid-summer and mid-winter temperatures that ranges from 18° C inland to about 14° C on the coast. The difference in daily maximum and night minimum temperatures is also quite significant. In winter they range from 8° to 10° C on the lowlands and 5°to 6° C on the mountains and in summer from 16° C on the central plain and 9°to 12° C elsewhere.
Daily temperatures during the hottest months of July and August, range between 29° C on the central plain and 22° C on the Troodos Mountains . The average maximum temperatures for these two months range between 36° C and 27° C. In January, the coolest month, the indicative daily temperature is 10° C on the central plain and 3° C on the higher parts of the Troodos Mountains while the average minimum temperatures are 5° C and 0° C.
Sea Temperatures
The temperature in the open sea hovers above 22° C from June to November, climbing to 27° C in August. Even during the three coolest months of January to March, average sea temperatures are an acceptable 16° or 17° C. Near the coast, the temperature of water three or four metres deep is similar to that of the open sea, ranging from 15° to 17°C in February and from 23° to 28° C in August. There are no significant daily fluctuations in sea water temperatures, except in very shallow waters less than one metre deep.
Air Humidity
During the days in winter and at night throughout the year, humidity ranges from average to slightly low (65% - 95%). During summer, especially August and September humidity is high.
In spring there can a tendency that the atmosphere is very hazy due to dust from the Arabian and African deserts.
Sunshine
Cyprus enjoys a very sunny climate compared with most countries with 11.5 hours of bright sunshine per day over the six summer months. Even during the months of December and January, there are 5.5 hours of sunshine.
Winds
Winds over the island are relatively variable in direction and strength depending on the elevation of the land and local temperatures.
