Troodos snow reaches 60cm, milder weather by Monday

By Evie Andreou

TRAFFIC police chief Yiannakis Charalambous said on Friday afternoon that the level of snow at Troodos square had reached 60cm and 80cm at the Olympus peak.

Due to river overflows, the Nata-Choletria and Kekokedara-Nata roads in Paphos are closed to the traffic, Charalambous said.

In Lefkara, the roads are slippery due to light snowfall and rain, he said.

Police announced that in some parts of the Paramytha-Agros road, rock and mud slides had been reported.

Increased traffic is expected during the weekend to and from Troodos, police said, and urged drivers to be careful and give priority to pedestrians to avoid accidents.

Police said they will be standing by to provide assistance, if necessary. The public is urged to be patient and cooperate with officers on duty.

More rain is expected on Saturday and storms in some areas, Panayiotis Mouskos of the met office said.

Snow is expected to fall at higher altitude. Even though the same pattern is expected on Sunday, the conditions will be milder, Mouskos said, and will become even mellower by Monday.

Temperatures, which are at normal levels for the season, are expected to remain the same until Monday, he said.

Inland, temperatures are expected to be between 14 and 15 degrees Celsius, 15 to 16C in the coastal areas and will remain the same until Monday.

According to the latest police information, the following roads are open only to vehicles with snow chains or four wheel drive:

Prodromos–Troodos,

Karvounas–Troodos,

Platres–Troodos,

Kyperounta-Chandria-Agros,

Ayios Theodoros-Papoutsa-Palechori,

Palechori–Sykopetra,

Polystypos-Livadia–Alithinou,

Polystypos–Chandria,

Palaichori–Agros,

Fterikoudi–Alona,

Alona–Polystypos,

Polystypos-Lagoudera–Saranti,

Fikardou-Lazanias-Macheras-Kionia,

Pedoulas–Prodromos,

Prodromos-Platres,

Pedoulas-Moutoulas,

Prodromos–Lemythou,

Ayios Demetrios-Paliomylos- Lemythou,

Pedoulas–Kykkos,

Kykkos–Kampos,

Kakopetria–Karvounas,

Kakopetria-Pinewood–Pedoulas.