Cyprus experiences its most torrential August since records began in 1902
August 2026 saw Cyprus receive over ten times its usual rainfall, marking the wettest August in more than a century.
According to the Met Office, August 2026 delivered an average of 30 mm of rain across Cyprus’s government-controlled areas, a ten-fold increase over the normal 2.9 mm. This surpasses the previous August record of 20.6 mm set in 1971 by about 46 percent. Most of the precipitation fell between August 28 and 30, with the bulk on August 29, producing localized totals of 50-75 mm.
The weather was island-wide, driven by a weak low-pressure system south of Cyprus combined with an upper-level disturbance that forced warm, humid air upward, fostering intense thunderstorms, hail, gusty winds and coastal waterspouts. Historical data show that such heavy August rain is extremely rare, with only seven Augusts before 2026 exceeding 10 mm. While dry Augusts have become less common, the Met Office cautioned that a single event does not establish a climate trend.
