Malta records third consecutive year of below-average rainfall

The last meteorological year, which runs from September 2025 to August 2026, has recorded a total of 443.5mm of rainfall across the Maltese Islands.

"This falls short of the climatic norm by 101.8mm, or roughly one-fifth of the expected annual total of 545.3mm," the Meteorological Office said on Friday. 

They said that the past year was slightly drier than 2024–2025, when 457.8 mm fell, but substantially wetter than the previous year. The 2023–2024 precipitation year was the second driest on record, with just 249.8mm; they also said this year's rainfall exceeded that figure by nearly 194 mm.

However, only four months recorded above-average rainfall, with January the wettest month, as Storm Harry delivered 112.4mm in a single month.

The heaviest daily rainfall came on 6 November 2025, when 35.6mm fell within 24 hours.

Across the seasonal picture, all four meteorological seasons recorded below-average rainfall. The MET office said winter came closest to normal, with 229.0 mm measured between December and February—just 4.1mm below the seasonal norm.

However, Autumn saw 155.2 mm against a norm of 226.0 mm, and spring brought 60.4mm compared to an expected 68.7mm.

Summer was the most affected. June, July and August produced no measurable rainfall whatsoever. The seasonal norm for meteorological summer stands at 15.6 mm, making this the first completely dry summer since 2020.

Lastly, rainfall totals varied considerably across the Maltese Islands.

Among the Meteorological Office's nine weather stations, the official readings taken from Luqa recorded Dingli with the highest total at 485.8 mm, while Bengħajsa registered the lowest at 342.4 mm.