Low barometric pressure ‘Elena’ is currently to the southwest of the island and moving easterly, affecting the area with storms until Sunday.

Snow on Troodos has reached 16cm and roads leading to Troodos from Platres, Karvounas and Prodromos are only open to vehicles with snow chains or four-wheel drive, due to black ice.

Police have urged all motorists to drive carefully and keep safety distances.

Meanwhile, the Forestry Department announced that water had collected on the Toxeftra-Lara road in Akamas’ national park and motorists were urged to avoid using it.

The weather on Friday will be mainly cloudy with local showers, isolated thunderstorms with possible hail and heavy snow in the mountains.

Visibility will be low due to fog or low clouds.

Towards the evening the weather will improve.

Winds will be a southeast to north gentle to moderate breeze, 3 to 4 Beaufort, over slight to moderate seas.

Temperatures will reach 15C inland, 16C along the coast and 5C in the highest mountains, where frost is expected to form.

Friday evening will be cloudy with isolated showers along the north coast and snow in the mountains.

Winds will a gentle northwest to northeast breeze and along the coast north to northeast, 3 Beaufort, over slight seas.

Temperatures will drop to 6C inland, 9C along the coast and -1C in the highest mountains, where frost is expected to form.

Saturday morning will be partly cloudy, with isolated showers in the west and north. Clouds will gather around noon, yielding isolated showers and thunderstorms with possible hail and snow in the mountains.

Sunday will be cloudy with local showers and isolated thunderstorms and hail, mainly in the afternoon.

Monday will also be cloudy with isolated showers and possibly isolated thunderstorms.

Temperatures on Saturday will record a slight increase, to drop again by Monday and remain under the seasonal average.