Supported by
September saw record rainfall. 15 times more rain fell at Larnaca Airport.
September rainfall in Cyprus brought huge differences between the island's regions. At Larnaca Airport, 26 millimeters of rain have been measured since the beginning of the month – about 15 times more than the average for the entire month of September.
Meanwhile, not a single millimeter of rain was recorded in the new port of Limassol, Kellaki, and Lythrodontas. Data from the Department of Meteorology demonstrates the localized nature of Cyprus's storms: one part of the island may experience flooded roads, while several dozen kilometers away the land remains completely dry.
The rest of the article is below
Rainfall in Cyprus reached 89 percent of the monthly norm
From September 1st to Friday morning, an average of 4 millimeters of rain fell in areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. The average for the entire month is 4.5 millimeters.
This means that by September 18th, rainfall had already reached 89 percent of the September average. Significantly, a full 3.3 millimeters of this total fell in the last 24 hours. It was then that locally severe thunderstorms, with heavy rain, hail, and numerous lightning strikes, swept across the island.
However, the average for the entire island does not show how diverse the situation was in individual towns.
At Larnaca Airport, 15 times more than usual
The heaviest rainfall since the beginning of the month was measured at the Larnaca Airport weather station. The total rainfall there was 26 millimeters, about 15 times more than is considered normal for September in that location.
The heavy rain led to localized flooding. Footage released shows roads covered in heavy water and vehicles driving in difficult conditions.
FLOODS IN LARNACA – RECORDINGS
Streets after heavy rainfallThe footage shows the scale of the downpour in the Larnaca area.
Water on the roads in LarnacaDuring the heaviest rainfall, some streets turned into rushing streams.
Pano Panagia in Paphos District also recorded a high rainfall. Since the beginning of September, 19.4 millimeters of rain have fallen there, almost four times the monthly average.
In Prodromos, 10.6 millimeters were measured. For this mountain town, the result is close to the typical September value.
In Limassol and other places still zero
Data at the other end of the scale can be surprising. Stations at the new port in Limassol, Kellaki, and Lythrodontas recorded no rainfall in September.
This doesn't mean that the entire districts of Limassol and Nicosia didn't experience rain. These measurements are based on specific weather stations. A local storm can bypass a measurement point while simultaneously bringing heavy rain to a neighboring town.
This also explains why residents of different parts of the island can describe the same night completely differently. In one place, there is lightning, hail, and flooded streets, while in another, rainfall is minimal or nonexistent.
Hydrological year above normal
The data covering the entire hydrological year, counted from October 1, 2025, looks much better. By the morning of September 18, the average rainfall total was 613.1 millimeters.
This is 122 percent of the norm for this period. However, this doesn't automatically mean the end of water problems. It's not only the total amount of rain that matters, but also the location of the rain, the rate of runoff, and the amount of water that actually reaches dams and underground reservoirs.
A heavy downpour over a city can cause flooding, but it doesn't necessarily significantly improve water reserves. Longer, calmer rainfalls that affect the mountains and the basins of the largest dams are most beneficial.
One downpour changed the statistics significantly
Even before the recent storms arrived, September's totals were significantly lower. Of the average 4 millimeters recorded since the beginning of the month, a whopping 3.3 millimeters fell in the last 24 hours of the survey.
This demonstrates that a single intense night can completely change monthly statistics. At the same time, the examples of Larnaca, Limassol, and Kellaki serve as a reminder that the average for the entire island doesn't necessarily indicate the weather in a specific location.
Sources: Department of Meteorology of the Republic of Cyprus; Politis
