A yellow weather warning for heavy thunderstorms and rain is in force until 4pm on Wednesday.

“Isolated heavy thunderstorms are expected to affect initially the western part and gradually the rest of the island,” the met office said.

And it added: “Rain rates are expected to range between 35 and 50 millimetres per hour.”

According to the weather forecast, Wednesday will remain mainly cloudy with local rain and isolated thunderstorms, and snowfall in the higher Troodos peaks.

Temperatures will rise to 12C inland and on the coast and around 2C in the mountains.

Thursday will start off partly cloudy with the possibility of isolated rain. Snow or sleet is possible in the higher Troodos peaks. Gradually the weather will become mainly fine, and temperatures will rise.

Friday and Saturday will be mainly fine, with temperatures edging up further to close to the seasonal average.