Cyprus swelters under May heatwave

An early summer heatwave grips Cyprus as maximum temperatures rise to a near-scorching 40°C for the first time this year.

The island is to continue swelting under higher than usual temperatures over the next few days, with temperatures on Monday touching 40°C once more after doing the same on Sunday.

According to weather observers, the maximum temperature in Nicosia on Monday noon reached 39.7°C.

In comments to the Financial Mirror, weather observer Eric Kitas of KitasWeather, said early summer heatwaves in May have become a trend in the past four years, with temperatures reaching 41°C in May last year and 44°C two years ago.

“It is not unusual to have very high temperatures in May in Cyprus but reaching 40 degrees before the summer starts for four years in a row is puzzling,” said Kitas.

He couldn’t directly link it to climate change, although he didn’t rule it out.

The average maximum temperature recorded for May in Cyprus is 32°C.

Kitas did note that a hot May is not an indication of a hotter than usual summer.

“In the past four years, June has been cooler than previous years.”

He said that indications for the first two weeks of June are that temperatures will be close to 35°C.

Temperatures are expected to edge down slightly over the next three days but remain slightly above the seasonal average.

According to the Met Office, low pressure affects the region with light dust in the atmosphere on Monday and Tuesday.

Monday will see maximum temperatures hit 39°C inland, around 31°C – 33°C on the coast and 28°C in the mountains.

Evening temperatures will drop to 22°C inland and on the coast and around 18°C in the mountains.

Temperatures will drop slightly in the following days but remain above the seasonal average.