Winter in Cyprus can be surprisingly chilly, at least from our point of view. Part of the problem is that many Cypriot houses are not built to cope with cold temperatures. They usually have high ceilings and tiled floors, and sometimes single glazed windows that don’t necessarily fit very well. Frequently there is no central heating, so residents rely on portable heaters or some kind of central fireplace. These can take the chill off, but little more. For much of winter the sun shines, but there are often some very cold spells during this season.
Still, visitors often exclaim at how warm it is compared to their home countries. During the daytime, in the sunshine, it can be quite pleasant. We have learned to put on warm jackets when we come in, and take them off if we go out during the middle part of the day.
December
December is a variable month, often sunny during the daytime with temperatures of 10-15C or more. But at times it can be distinctly colder and the nights can occasionally get as low as 3-5C. There may be several days of rain during December. In the mountains of Troodos there is often some snow, although not enough to guarantee ski-ing.
You can read more about what to expect from Cyprus at the end of the year on the page Cyprus in December.
January
January is usually the coldest month, with temperatures sometimes dropping down to 3-5C overnight at sea level, and a chilly 10-12C during the daytime. Occasionally there is even a mild frost inland. People in older houses can find it difficult to stay warm enough during January, even if there is sunshine during the day making the outside warmer than inside. In the mountains it is usually much colder, with a fair amount of snow.
You can read more about this month, and what to expect, on the page about Cyprus in January.
February
Spring is usually on its way by about mid-February, heralded by the almond blossom which lasts only a few days. Temperatures are generally around 15-20C during the daytime, although there may be colder spells and some rain.
The island usually looks very green by this time of year, after the winter rains. Wild flowers begin to bloom in wasteland and on the hills, although there is usually some snow still in the highest parts of the Troodos mountains.
You can read a bit more about February and what it’s like to visit then on the page about Cyprus in February.
See also:
Spring weather in Cyprus
Summer weather in Cyprus
Autumn weather in Cyprus
Cyprus weather forecasts
For a reasonably accurate ten-day forecast, the UK Weather site seems to be the best we have found. For ten-day forecasts, choose from: Larnaca weather, Nicosia weather, Paphos weather, Limassol weather or (much colder, usually) Troodos weather.