A small but powerful tornado crosses over Qormi, September
2004
Wispy Cirrus clouds after a depression, S. Malta |
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The Climate of the Maltese
Islands is typically Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters
making it markedly biseasonal. The Biseasonality characteristic can be
perceived from a
temperature-rainfall graph that reveals the distribution of both throughout
the year. Temperatures in the winter months reach an
average maximum of 15ºC and a minimum of 10ºC. During the summer period the
average maximum temperatures reaches 35ºC. Such temperatures can be greatly
exceeded during periods of heat waves which are relatively frequent phenomena.
Air temperatures are generally suitable for plant growth as they never fall
below freezing point or to a limit that inhibits growth. What restricts growth
is the lack of water during the summer months particularly at the peak of the
season (July, August). During such a time grass temperatures may well exceed
40ºC. In fact the greenery of the winter landscape abruptly changes to yellow
and brown during the hostile summer months. With an average of 8.3 h of bright
sunshine the Islands receive a good deal of bright sunlight. the relative
humidity is also high ranging between 65-80%.
The average annual
precipitation is 530mm, however, rainfall is highly variable from year to
year and a minimal 191.3 mm of rainfall has been recorded during the period of
1854 till today, whilst a maximum of 1031.2 mm has also been recorded. The
seasonal distribution of rainfall defines the wet winter period (October to
March) although it must be noted that flash floods during September are also
frequent. 85% of rainfall falls within this time frame. The dry period extends
from April to September. Strong winds are also frequent. The Islands are
in fact reported to have only 8% of the days in a year to be calm. The
predominant wind is the North-westerly which blows on average 19% of all windy
days annually.
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