Cyprus experienced a dramatic turn of weather on Christmas Day, with heavy downpours and violent thunderstorms unleashing flash floods across several districts, necessitating urgent interventions from emergency services. While pockets of the island enjoyed mild, sunny conditions, large swathes, particularly in the Larnaca and Famagusta regions, were inundated as Christmas morning festivities were abruptly curtailed by nature's tempestuous fury.
The Famagusta Fire Station was particularly hard-pressed, responding to eight separate emergency calls as torrential rain transformed local thoroughfares into treacherous waterways. The deluge overwhelmed the island's drainage infrastructure, leading to blocked storm drains and widespread submersion of roads. This unprecedented inundation resulted in vehicles becoming trapped in the rising floodwaters, prompting swift rescue operations by fire crews who, alongside six members of the District Self-Government Organization (EOA), worked tirelessly to extricate occupants and ensure their safety. Furthermore, fire service personnel were engaged in pumping water from inundated properties, providing a crucial lifeline to affected residents.
According to fire service spokesperson Andreas Kettis, the emergency calls were concentrated in the Larnaca and Famagusta districts, underscoring the localised intensity of the adverse weather. Residents in areas such as Paralimni and Ayia Napa bore the brunt of the downpours, witnessing their familiar surroundings rapidly submerged. The swiftness of the flooding caught many by surprise, disrupting any nascent Christmas Day plans and highlighting the vulnerability of local infrastructure to such extreme meteorological events.
This volatile weather is attributed to a transitional meteorological phase. A comparatively benign high-pressure system is gradually yielding its influence, making way for a more unsettled atmospheric front. This shift portends a period of heightened meteorological instability, with forecasters from the Cyprus Meteorological Department anticipating a significant alteration in conditions. The intensity of the localised phenomena observed on Christmas morning is a direct consequence of this evolving weather pattern.
In stark contrast to the sodden south-east, other regions of Cyprus, including parts of Nicosia, experienced clear skies and remarkably mild temperatures, with thermometers registering up to a pleasant 19°C. This geographical disparity in weather conditions serves as a potent reminder of the island's diverse microclimates and the unpredictable nature of atmospheric shifts. However, this respite is expected to be fleeting.
Looking ahead, the forecast suggests a further dramatic deterioration in weather conditions. Tonight, temperatures are predicted to dip to around 10°C inland, 12°C along the coast, and a chilly 4°C on the highest peaks of the Troodos mountains. The wind, currently light to moderate from the northeast to southeast at 3-4 Beaufort, is also expected to change. Tomorrow, particularly after midday, the island can anticipate a continuation of unsettled weather, with the potential for localised storms and even hail. Most significantly, the highest elevations of the Troodos range may witness the season's first snowfall or sleet, signalling a definitive end to the unseasonably mild spell for those mountainous locales. The island, it appears, is bracing for a truly wintery end to the festive period.