Temperatures are expected to climb above 40C from Tuesday and remain at those levels until at least Thursday, a met office official Iasonas Christodoulou said on Sunday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, Christodoulou said the weather would remain mostly clear over the coming days, with temperatures rising steadily.

On Monday, temperatures inland are expected to reach around 38C, close to the seasonal average for late July.

“From Tuesday onwards, temperatures will exceed 40C,” Christodoulou said.

He added that inland temperatures are likely to remain above 40C through Thursday, with highs of 41C to 42C possible on Wednesday and Thursday.

Christodoulou noted that the average temperature for inland areas at this time of year is around 38C.

“On Monday we will be close to the average values, while from Tuesday through Thursday temperatures will certainly be above normal,” he said.

Meanwhile, meteorological department data showed that rainfall recorded so far in July has reached 5.6mm, or 215 per cent of the month’s long-term average of 2.6mm, based on records from 1961 to 1990.