# The Weather...



## Ken and Valery (Jan 17, 2014)

Sorry to turn your attention to a very British Topic. We are new to the Island. And we were wondering is this 'weather normal?'. It seems that since we have been here since Feb it is much cooler than I had expected it to be?. With the rains of May and temp of around 22 for Mid May. I would guess and say that such temp are very low and not the norm..?. Or is it about correct??.I am sure that there have been some disappointed holiday makers in May so far!.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

No this is not normal for this time of year. We had a very mild winter compared to normal and it seems that we were punished by the weather gods by having a late spring.
We do get a bit of rain at the beginning of may but this year we have had a lot more than usual.
However you can never guarantee the end of the rains until the middle of May although some years we havn't had a drop after April.
I think on the whole that its really like anywhere in the world, you can never rely completely on the weather following the NORMAL pattern these days.


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## Mycroft (Sep 9, 2009)

I live in the mountains and last week were were back in winter clothes and had the fire lit. The rain was torrential at times. I was told by family back in blighty that it was better weather in UK!! It is much warmer here this week, but certainly not as hot as this time last year. But saying that no year seems to be 'normal' these days, I just take each day as it arrives and am keeping my woollies and raincoat handy!!!!! ( I am told it is 25 degrees in Cornwall today)


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## Ken and Valery (Jan 17, 2014)

Thanks for the answers. I thought as much. Somehow 22/23 doesnt seem right for Cyprus in almost lets face it in 2 weeks time the start of summer!. We also were tempted to light the fire last week when the temp was down lower than the U.K. I am sure that up in the mountains it would have been really cold!!!.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Its at least 2 months since we used any heating whereas in the UK we used to need it most of the year. 
The great thing here is that even through the winter between showers etc we get sunny spells while you can go weeks (even months) with nothing but drizzle and grey skies in the UK.


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## Ken and Valery (Jan 17, 2014)

Veronica we agree. Although I have started a new thread regarding the term 'Heating'. I just hope some newcomers like myself will read through it. Looking forward to your feeback!))


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## virgil (May 3, 2012)

Mycroft said:


> ( I am told it is 25 degrees in Cornwall today)


And in Lunden


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## mta (Dec 29, 2013)

Mycroft said:


> I live in the mountains and last week were were back in winter clothes and had the fire lit. The rain was torrential at times. I was told by family back in blighty that it was better weather in UK!! It is much warmer here this week, but certainly not as hot as this time last year. But saying that no year seems to be 'normal' these days, I just take each day as it arrives and am keeping my woollies and raincoat handy!!!!! ( I am told it is 25 degrees in Cornwall today)


Confirmed - Brits moan about the weather, even in Cyprus


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## Whitey (Jan 24, 2014)

Ken and Valery said:


> Sorry to turn your attention to a very British Topic. We are new to the Island. And we were wondering is this 'weather normal?'. It seems that since we have been here since Feb it is much cooler than I had expected it to be?. With the rains of May and temp of around 22 for Mid May. I would guess and say that such temp are very low and not the norm..?. Or is it about correct??.I am sure that there have been some disappointed holiday makers in May so far!.


It never ceases to amaze me how quickly ex pats forget how bad the weather is "back home". I have been back in England since January and believe me an unusually mild May in Cyprus is nothing compared to what has been going on here.
Yes we have had a couple of days which have been hotter than all the Med, resorts but that is then followed by pouring rain and winds reaching 40 mph.....the golf at Wentworth in Surrey was stopped twice today due to driving rain and wind and tonight the temperature is 5 degrees......and where as Cyprus is guaranteed a summer dear old England is not.......I personally can not wait to get back to Cyprus where I can put up with some cooler nights,knowing that the sun will shine soon.....believe me it is easy to forget the miserable....depressing weather back home


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Well I have to say that the weather this year really is peculiar
To still have the amount of cloud and wind we have at the moment is very unusual.
I think the Earth has tilted


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## Ken and Valery (Jan 17, 2014)

Well I just think it goes to show that Cyprus has no guarantees set in stone anymore. Bar from the summer months of course. Then again its a sub tropical climate and not tropical. So in general the weather really beats most places.

Having said the above we will definately not be staying for winter again in a home without central heating. We are already on the search!. I would rather live in rain bogged Bath with every UK weather inconvenience than waking up half frozen to death in a home that is not insulated or not centrally heated!!!.(as most are not).


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I can honestly say that in 10 years I have never woken up half frozen to death and our house is not insulated.
I can only think that when you lived in the UK you were the type of person who had your central heating turned up so high the house would be like a sauna. If that is the case you would certainly feel the cold here in the winter


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## DH59 (Feb 23, 2010)

The weather's been strange here in the UK too. Turned warm early on in the year, then went cold again, now it's warming up again (had our first bbq of the year today), but I woke up very cold the other night, and had to pull an extra blanket from the drawer. Almost went back to my winter jammies!!


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## Ken and Valery (Jan 17, 2014)

Our home was 8 c in the mornings on waking up and I am sure could be lower in a cold winter. I am sorry that temp is unacceptable in my book and also is in the UK Health and Safety Book. Getting up at that temperature is no fun when you are doing it for months as many expats have and would agree with us. Even the MOD website on Cyprus mention to their staff that winters are cold and that most of their properties do not have heating. Urging staff and personal to be mindful of this and bring adequate winter duvets!. And those are for robust young men and women!. Sorry but I totally disagree with you on this point regarding heating!. Some people will disagree with us as you do, but the majority of people we have spoken about home winter heating levels agree with us. That being Cyprus is a challenge in the winter without adequate central heating or insulation. I personally do not need the challenge of pneumonia or an acute rheumatoid arthritis flare up.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Veronica said:


> Well I have to say that the weather this year really is peculiar
> To still have the amount of cloud and wind we have at the moment is very unusual.
> I think the Earth has tilted


We even had a rain shower in the middle of the night.

Anders


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## bencooper (Mar 20, 2013)

···and last winter was relatively mild (and dry) !!!


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## die7 (Nov 6, 2012)

Our woodburner, an investment of around 550 E two years ago warms livingroom, kitchen and office (60sqm) without any problem, bathroom has electric heating if necessary, so there can be no talk of absolute necessity of central heating. We have no special insulation but are a bit creative during the few days in wintertime which are really cold. It was our 8th winter here, no pneumonia.... My mother (*88*) still comes every winter because her Arthritis is so much better here. Over the years in Cyprus we are in a much better health during wintertime than we ever were abroad, to say nothing about the many many wonderful days with sun and green everywhere, heart balm. I love it and am looking forward to the next one!
If you just use your eyes a bit selecting your home you can spend wonderful wintertimes in this country! We have to manage with little money so no chance for spending thousands for central heating and also not for huge electricity bills but there are several possobilies...
Must admit that we used the aircon for heating our bedroom exactly 6 times in the winter 2012/2013 each time for one hour, not once this winter (wough) Wild horses couldn't drag me back into the winter abroad!


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Veronica said:


> Well I have to say that the weather this year really is peculiar
> To still have the amount of cloud and wind we have at the moment is very unusual.
> I think the Earth has tilted


Looking at weather forecast for this week it say 4 day*s of rain and thunder. THAT must be unusual for June, or...


Anders


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

Ken & Valery, whether you find it acceptable or not, the fact remains that few houses have central heating or insulation as Cypriots just do not consider it a necessity! I am not sure if you are renting or buying in the future, but now that you are aware of the situation you will at least know what to look out for. When I lived in Cyprus (some years ago) there were no wood burning stoves that I was aware of, but the general consensus from friends living there now is that they are the most effective method in the absence of central heating. Otherwise it really is grin & bear it!! As an aside, I remember our old family house in North London had no heating (just fires) until I was about 5 in 1960 and we all survived in what most have been far colder winters.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Baywatch said:


> Looking at weather forecast for this week it say 4 day*s of rain and thunder. THAT must be unusual for June, or...
> 
> 
> Anders


Very unusual indeed. In 10 years we have never known anything like this and all of our Cypriot friends say they can't recall weather like this in June.


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## Ken and Valery (Jan 17, 2014)

I think that we are getting all lost in translation here a little. Wood burners I cannot comment on them. I am sure that they are effective in heat efficient houses. Although if you place any of them in a poor location as some are put in for cosmetic reasons in Cyprus in the new builds for example on estates, or in houses that are not insulated then you simply are wasting time. I grew up in a home without central heating and survived well also. But our family home was not built out of breeze blocks either.

I am neither stating that a winter in Cyprus is not better than any place in the UK. Of course it is!!. There are literally thousands of expats in Cyprus from all walks of life here for the weather!. 

The point is I am trying to assist and help future expats to not fall into the trap of renting holiday home lets for "the winter" that are without central heating or insulation or without a really efficient system!.(by that i do not mean calour gas bottles or A/C units blowing out very unhealthy dry air) Anybody who defends or argues this point is either not being realistic, or honest, or slightly offended.

Please bear in mind also that I am not insulting your homes. I am aware that many people cannot afford to put central heating in their homes. And that many struggle hence the need to go for wood burners. That coming to Cyprus one has to rely on their own means so to speak. But lets be honest here!. If cash is readily available then one is not going to push clumsy dangerous calour gas heaters around from room to room or hurl logs as the main source of heating. That burn out.

If it wasnt for the residents of Pissouri who in majority agree with me then I would have started to believe some of you and even one of you that I had thin blood!)))). 

Cyprus has cold winters period. Its climate is changing also. Take a peak out of the window. And many of the houses in winter are not coping with it.


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

Yes Ken, you are right. I know that winters are lasting much longer in Cyprus nowadays and I did laugh about your breeze block comment which is true but sounded so funny. I suppose I am guilty of a certain amount of passivity and I really do admire your determination to press on and find the right place. I am not sure how many houses have been built with insulation and or heating, though, the Greek mentality was always to build with summer in mind! Let us all know how you get on.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Actually newer houses are built with more insulation since Cyprus joined the EU.
Older houses were built with cheap bricks between the concrete pillars notwith breeze blocks. Now they have to use a different type of brick with is more thermally efficient and they put athermal material over these as well. 
So newer houses should theoretically be more thermally efficient.


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## Ken and Valery (Jan 17, 2014)

Honestly Veronica believe me ours was blooming freezing!!. I am sure that our house has not been built to these regulations. It probably should have been as it was built in 2007. But the person who built it a Cypriot did not overly spend on the construction. I do get what you are saying in terms of new housing ought to be more efficient. I just could have a bad egg here or a percentage of the lower quality housing built by local less professional builders. No well known builder constructed our rented home, as perhaps the sites in Aphrodite Hills or Secret Valley etc. It was done by the owner who contracted it to a local builder (cypriots it seems tend to end up doing things for far less of a cost). Do not get me wrong it looks a lovely villa/house. I mean surely I do not think that you would be not telling or distorting the truth. And I for the life of me cant imagine elderly couples waking up in Cyprus to the temps that we have been and being happy with them. So lets meet somewhere in the middle!)))


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## virgil (May 3, 2012)

Veronica said:


> I think the Earth has tilted


Does the Earth often move for you Veronica?

Just asking.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

virgil said:


> Does the Earth often move for you Veronica?
> 
> Just asking.


Only on Sundays and holidays


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## Davetheeagle (Jun 5, 2014)

Enjoy it before the burning heat of summer arrives


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## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

I find a few months of the year are very cold, a few are very hot and the majority of the time it is very comfortable. Wearing more clothes, rugs on the floors and hot meals and going outside for a good walk every afternoon keep me generally healthy in the winter months. If it's bleak then I drive down to one of the hotels with a good book and sit there. I live in a rented apartment and use a LPG heater in the main living area and occasionally a radiator in the bedroom. Some days it is warmer outside than in the apartment. However, in all the time I have lived here I have never had a chest infection which is amazing due to my poor circulation and breathing problems.


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