The beginning of October saw heavy rainfall. Cyprus is already at 77 percent of its monthly average.

From the beginning of October until the morning of October 6, an average of 25.2 mm of rain was recorded in areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. This is already 77 percent of the average for the entire month, which is 32.7 mm, according to preliminary data from the Department of Meteorology.

The full October norm has already been exceeded at four measuring stations. In Athienou, rainfall reached 215 percent of the average, and in Polis Chrysochou, it reached 164 percent. Frenaros and Xylotymbou also exceeded the monthly reference level.

Rainfall in Cyprus quickly approached the monthly norm

October has only just begun, but rainfall totals are already close to typical for the entire month. The data covers the period from October 1st to Tuesday morning, October 6th.

The average was 25.2 mm, compared to the monthly norm of 32.7 mm. This means that the full reference value remains to be reached by 7.5 mm.

However, 77 percent does not mean that rain fell on 77 percent of the island. This is a comparison of the measured rainfall amount with the multi-year October average. The result does not indicate the number of rainy days.

The most rain in Polis Chrysochou

The highest total among the indicated stations was recorded in Polis Chrysochou — 63.2 mmThat's 164 percent of the October norm for this point.

An even larger percentage exceedance occurred in Athienou, where 47.8 mm of rain fell, compared to the norm of 22.2 mm, representing approximately 215 percent.

The difference shows why it's worth looking at both millimeters and percentages. Polis saw more rain, but Athienou fared better than its lower monthly average.

The full norm was also exceeded Frenaros, where 129 percent was achieved, and Xylotymbou with a score of 113 percent.

Monthly average is not a rain limit

The precipitation norm is used to compare current measurements with typical climatic conditions. Achieving it does not mean that no more rain should fall in a given month.

Similarly, exceeding 100 percent at one station does not necessarily reflect the situation across the entire region. Precipitation can be uneven, so measurements from a specific point must be distinguished from the average for the areas included in the comparison.

The results from Athienou, Polis Chrysochou, Frenaros and Xylotymbou show that in these places the beginning of the month brought more rain than the average total for the whole of October.

This is a rainfall measurement, not a forecast.

The published summary describes the rain that has already fallen. It does not say how much rain the coming weeks will bring or whether October will end above normal.

It also doesn't allow us to assess, on its own, how much the situation in water reservoirs has improved. This requires separate data on inflows and accumulated water levels.

The data is preliminary and reflects the situation as of the morning of October 6. Later precipitation is not included in the figures provided. Therefore, when planning a trip, it's worth checking the current forecast for a specific location rather than relying solely on the monthly forecast.

Sources: Department of Meteorology, Cyprus Mail, SigmaLive.