Be careful what you wish for, Cyprus…

Last Friday we teased the idea of hurricanes hitting the island. Or hailstones the size of halloumi…

And boom: Limassol turns white with hail, and Avgorou gets a tornado!

Now, if our weather whims keep coming true, then perhaps we should be predicting sudden windfalls and random rains (of money). Given that our Ministry of Finance has just labelled macroeconomic and financial stability as among its greatest challenges, it might just be worth a try!

Seriously though, with the weather this strange, hail across Limassol feels almost routine. For scale, anything above 2 cm counts as ‘large hail’. And there have certainly been reports of such in the past…

In October 2020, despite temperatures of 32 degrees, “hail of 2 cm diameter fell in Lympia, and obstructed visibility on the highway”. Meanwhile in August 2019, hail “the size of walnuts” wiped out potato crops.

As we marvel from our office windows, few of us realise how worrying this is. Tourism may be the island’s biggest earner – bringing in around 15-20 per cent of our GDP. But out in the villages, the soil still pays the bills. And potatoes are Cyprus’ star export crop, especially in the ‘red soil’ areas. (Check out the ‘Big Potato’ of Xylofagou…) So, when hail takes out an entire crop, it’s a pretty devastating event!

That said, Cyprus isn’t quite producing world-class hail. Yet!

By comparison, the biggest hailstone ever recorded fell in Vivian, South Dakota – over 20 cm across; roughly the size of a small melon. In Bangladesh, stones weighing over a kilo caused more than 90 deaths in minutes. And the deadliest hail event on record – India, 1888 – killed 246 people and wiped out entire herds of livestock under ice “the size of cricket balls”.

This weekend’s weather is, thankfully, far less dramatic.

In Nicosia, it’s a calm and gentle weekend. Friday brings partly sunny skies and a comfortable 23°C, warming slightly on Saturday before cooling to 20°C on Sunday as clouds thin out. By Monday, the sun returns and the capital settles into a bright 22°C.

Limassol enjoys a mellow run too. Friday reaches 26°C, and Saturday stays mostly sunny despite that curious 9-centimetre precipitation blip — almost certainly a data quirk rather than a deluge. Sunday cools to 21°C with stronger westerlies, before Monday rebounds to a sunny 23°C.

Larnaca starts under mostly cloudy skies on Friday at 25°C, brightens to 26°C on Saturday, then turns breezy on Sunday with a dip to 22°C. Monday clears again with warm, steady sunshine at 23°C.

Paphos sees the only real unsettled spell. Friday is partly sunny at 25°C, but showers arrive on Saturday with stronger southerlies. Sunday stays showery and cooler at 21°C, before Monday dries out and lifts back to 23°C.

The Ayia Napa region gets the briskest winds. Friday is sunny and breezy at 22°C, Saturday warms slightly, and Sunday remains gusty with a drop to 20°C. Monday returns to calmer, sunny conditions at 23°C.

Up in Troodos, it’s a sharper late-autumn mix. Friday is partly sunny at 12°C, Saturday cold but bright with lows near freezing, and Sunday much cooler at just 6°C. Monday then brings a welcome jump to 15°C under clearer skies.

Looking ahead, it does appear that rain is on the way island-wide. Early indications show light morning or afternoon showers across most districts on Thursday and Friday, with breezier conditions and a notable dip in temperatures.

For now though, if our weather whims keep coming true, perhaps we should predict golden sunsets, silver linings and rainbow dividends. And maybe a shower of blessings to help restore a climate of confidence!

Weekend Weather Tips

• Savour the calm – after a week of hail and tornadoes, a gentle spell is a gift worth noticing.
• Let Saturday be your outdoors day – across much of the island, it offers the weekend’s most reliable sunshine.
• Keep an eye on the breeze – from coastal gusts to Troodos’ chill, the island still has a little bite beneath the brightness.
• Make the most of Monday’s clarity – it brings a clean, bright reset before next week’s rain arrives.
• Use this quiet weather to prepare – island-wide showers are gathering for Thursday and Friday.