The met office has issued a yellow alert for Tuesday afternoon and evening warning of heavy rain and very strong winds.

The alert is in force from 1.00 pm to 9.00 pm. “A combination of rain and possibly isolated heavy thunderstorms is expected to affect temporarily the area,” the met office said.

And it added: “The total precipitation is likely to locally exceed the amount of 55 millimetres per 24 hours. Very strong to near southwesterly winds force 6 to 7 Beaufort with gusts reaching locally up to 8 Beaufort will affect mainly the windward coastal areas.”

In its weather bulletin, the met office said Tuesday will start off partly cloudy, becoming gradually mainly cloudy with rain in most areas and isolated thunderstorms. There will be snow at intervals in the mountains. Temperatures will rise to 15C inland, around 16C on the coasts and 3C in the higher mountains where locally there will be frost.

Tonight, will be initially mainly cloudy with local showers and isolated thunderstorms but gradually the phenomena will become isolated. There will be snowfall at intervals in the mountains and later possibly locally in the hilly areas. Temperatures will fall to 1C inland, around 3C on the coasts and -6 in the higher mountains. Locally in the mountains, hilly areas and later inland there will be frost.

Wednesday will be mainly cloudy and cold, with the possibility early on of isolated showers and snowfall in the mountains and locally in hilly areas. There will be a notable drop in temperatures to below the seasonal average.

On Thursday there will be increased cloud at intervals. Friday will be mainly cloudy at intervals. Temperatures will edge up gradually to close to the seasonal average.

The depth of snow on Troodos square at the time of issue of the weather bulletin was 9 cm.