Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus is expected to experience a hot and dry summer, with summer thunderstorms that are not believed to be linked to climate change, meteorological department spokesman Andreas Chrysanthou said on Saturday. He said such thunderstorms are a common occurrence, especially in mountainous areas.
Typical seasonal pattern
Chrysanthou said studies by the meteorological department show that weather instability is a common phenomenon in the region, particularly in the higher mountains and inland areas, where it traditionally occurs and may continue until mid-July.
He said the hottest period of the year is expected from mid-July until mid-August, adding that any instability caused by the dry atmosphere is limited to that period.
June temperatures
Chrysanthou said June is expected to end with high temperatures after a particularly cool first half. Temperatures are expected to reach an average of 37 degrees Celsius inland, slightly above the seasonal average of 33 to 34 degrees.
He said temperatures are 2 to 4 degrees above average in some cases, but described the rise as not extreme. He also said June has been very cool and included many summer showers in mountainous regions.
Hydrological conditions and fire risk
Chrysanthou said the cool June follows what he described as a very good year in hydrological terms, beginning in December 2025 and continuing until now. He said increased soil moisture has been important in helping prevent forest fires.
He said rainfall acts as a deterrent both to the outbreak and the spread of wildfires.
Outlook for the coming months
Chrysanthou said a dry and hot summer is expected from now on, with temperatures likely to exceed 40 degrees Celsius, particularly in inland areas, as in previous years.
He said there are no indications that conditions will be different this year.