Weather in Cyprus is like the island itself – it has something special to offer all year round. Long, dry summers and mild winters, with lots of sunshine and lovely Mediterranean-blue skies at any time of the year. Temperatures can soar into the 30's in the summer and be pleasant enough for sunbathing in the winter. There's skiing in the mountains in January and February (sometimes longer) while just an hour's drive away people can be found relaxing beautiful beaches.
It's said that the Mediterranean climate is warmer year round in Cyprus, more so than anywhere else in the EU, with daytime temperatures on the coast averaging a balmy 24 degrees centigrade, making holidays in Cyprus perfect at any time.
In June the Kataklyomos Festival in Larnaca celebrates Noah's survival of the Great Flood with a day of water sports and an evening of concerts. A four-day feast of music, dancing, theatre and exhibitions is enjoyed at the Ayia Napa International Festival in the last week of September. An Aphrodite opera festival is held under the stars at Paphos Castle every September.
April, May, October and November is the perfect time for walkers, cyclists and other outdoor sport fans – still pleasantly warm in the day but noticeably chillier in the evenings. The island organises an annual walking festival in March with guided walks along nature trails in mountains and forests and along the coast.
About three-quarters of the total rainfall is in December, January and February, much of it in the mountains. Officially it's winter, but much of the time it's more like autumn or early spring to British visitors, with an average of six hours' of sunshine a day.
It's warm enough for the island to go carnival crazy at the end of February, the biggest and best is the colourful grand parade in Limassol. Cross-country bikers visit in February to compete in the island's famous Sunshine Cup race, and flamingos start to touch down on Larnaca's salt lake.
On the coolest days, the temperature will average about 10 degrees, but it will be colder in the Troodos Mountains where the ski centre expects to be in business for the first three months of the year. An international skiing competition is held on Mount Olympus in early March.