From midnight tonight until the arrival of the new year, winter conditions will prevail throughout the island with rain, storms, winds, stormy sea but also with snow - sleet in the mountains.
All phenomena will be relatively mild, but the low temperatures expected in Troodos and the surrounding areas will form frost and so the risk of traffic with the involvement of cars that may slip on the road, is expected to be high. Speaking yesterday to "F" the meteorological officer Panagiotis Georgiou, called the drivers who will be heading to Troodos these days, thus utilizing the holidays to enjoy the white landscape, to be especially careful during the morning hours.
As he also mentioned, yesterday's sunshine and the rise of mercury, was something like a break in the low temperatures and weather conditions that prevail these days in almost the whole island.
Due to the rains and storms that we had the previous days, several rivers rushed down and so, began an impressive flow of water in the dams, which this year is expected to overflow all.
Yesterday the fullness of the dams was at 80,8% with 234,883 million cubic meters of water, while in the corresponding period last year they were 15,6% full, since there were stored only 45,313 million cubic meters of water.
However, new rains and thunderstorms that are expected to increase the flow of water to the dams are expected from tonight. The rainy scenery will remain on the island, until the first day of the new year, where the forecasts of the Meteorological Service arrive with relative safety.
Snow in small quantities is expected at an altitude of over 1500 meters, but all the data and forecasts focus on the fact that on New Year's Eve white beauty will prevail in Troodos, even if it does not snow the day before. As Panagiotis Georgiou explains, the low temperatures that will prevail, will preserve the snow, which will certainly not melt until then.
Another pleasant element in the forecasts of the Meteorological Service is the absence of dust from the atmosphere. Until the coming of the new year, no new wave of dust is expected from Africa.
Meanwhile, as officially announced by the Meteorological Service, the average amount of rainfall in the free areas in the free areas from December 141st until yesterday rose to 1% of the normal for the month.
"141% is worthy of comment because before the last disturbance we were below the expected values", said to KYPE the senior Meteorological officer Filippos Tymbios, when asked to comment on the data.
He also added, "the next disorder is expected to leave us with enough water." We expect the percentage to increase significantly by the end of the year, said Mr. Tymbios.
According to the data from October 1 to the morning of December 27, 2019, the average rainfall amounted to 229,1 millimeters and corresponds to 120% of the normal amount of rainfall for the same period.
The largest amount of rainfall from December 1 until yesterday, occurred in the Larnaca airport area with 196 mm, which corresponds to 228% of normal rainfall for the area. They are followed by Pano Panagia with 270,9 mm of rainfall (169% of normal), Athienou with 98,4 mm (165% of normal) and the area of Athalassa in Nicosia with 92,5 mm (159% of normal).
Fireplace for everyone and heating for the adventurous
The low temperatures that prevail in mountain villages, such as Prodromos, force the inhabitants to devise ways of survival.
Neophytos Neophytou, community leader of Prodromos, commenting yesterday on "F" the weather conditions that prevail these days in his community and the way his fellow villagers face them, said that, as soon as it gets dark, the mercury dives and the residents gather in their houses, around the fireplace, because with wood the bitter cold is treated relatively economically. "The most daring of them turn on the heating they have in their houses for about an hour and then turn them off to save money," he said. On the occasion, he added that the state sponsorship granted to the residents of Prodromos and other residents of villages with a similar altitude amounts to approximately € 600 per year. "The houses in Prodromos need to be heated from November to March and the sponsorship covers only a small part of the amount that each household spends on heating," he stressed.
Source: philenews