Cyprus will see a significant drop in temperatures over the weekend as the Coral cold front reaches its peak, senior meteorological officer Andreas Chrysanthou said on Friday.

But, speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, he said temperatures will gradually return to near-seasonal levels by the end of the month, including for the Green Monday holiday.

The cold front has brought a sharp decline in temperatures across the island.

By 10.30am on Friday, the temperature in central regions stood at 8C, with a high of 10C expected, which is a 9-degree drop since Wednesday.

In the Troodos mountains, early morning temperatures fell to -1C, with a daily maximum of 0 to 1C, marking a 7-degree drop compared to midweek. Coastal regions have also seen a decline, with temperatures falling 6 to 8 degrees below Wednesday’s readings.

Forecasts indicate that Saturday, Sunday, and Monday will be the coldest days.

Inland areas and coastal areas expected to see maximum temperatures around 10C, while higher mountains are expected to record very low temperatures, with night-time lows possibly reaching -8C.

The temperature at night might also drip below zero inland.

Chrysanthou also said the authorities may issue weather warnings, depending on how conditions develop.

The low temperatures are set to bring some snowfall with them over the mountains and semi-mountainous areas, Chrysanthou said. He added that light snowfall in lower-altitude regions cannot be ruled out.

By Wednesday, temperatures are forecast to rise but stay below seasonal averages.