January is expected to be warmer than normal in Cyprus by 1°C to 2°C, according to the January agrometeorological bulletin issued by the Meteorological Department.
It said the expected rainfall is disappointing for this month, as it will be around 50% to 75% below normal.
The entire Eastern Mediterranean region, the Balkans and much of Asia Minor, as well as the Near East and Middle East, have similar arid characteristics, it added.
Moreover, according to preliminary meteorological data for the month of December 2023, the Meteorological Department reported that the average temperatures recorded in December were well above normal.
Many temperature extremes of both maxima and minima (with a deviation of more than 4°C from normal) were also observed at all reference stations, it added.
It stated that the maximum temperature in Prodromos was 17.1°C, with the normal being 8.3°C, indicating it was 8.8°C higher than normal. Additionally, the maximum temperatures in Polis Chrysochous and also Athalassa were 26°
C and 25.3°C, respectively, compared to their normal of 18°C and 17.3°C. Both stations recorded temperatures 8°C higher than their respective normal temperatures.
Regarding the minimum temperatures, the Meteorological Department reported that the minimum temperature in Larnaca was 16.8°C, with the normal being 9.2°C, and in Prodromos, it was 9.3°C with the normal being 2.6°C. These temperatures were 7.6°C and 6.7°C higher than normal, respectively.
As for cumulative rainfall, according to the Department, December recorded cumulative rainfall significantly below normal, with the average surface distribution amounting to 50.9mm or 54% of the normal.
Source: Cyprus News Agency