Cooler temperatures, below average rainfall registered during winter season

The 2019 winter period registered below average temperatures and rainfall, the Met Office at the Malta International Airport, as the meteorological season came to a close in February. 

Despite appearing wetter than the norm, the 2019 winter season received 233 mm of rain, as opposed to the seasonal average of 247.8 mm.

Heavy rainfall in January made up for a relatively dry December, as more than threre times the amount of rain fell on the first month of 2019 when compared with the last month of 2018.

Temperatures were also slightly below average, as the season’s average air temperature was 12.7 °C, a third of a degree lower than the seasonal average of 13 °C. 

Despite the occasional storm, which saw wind gusts reach 54 knots on the 24 th of February, wind-speed registered an average of 10 knots throughout the winter season. 

Hailstorms also exceeded average calculations, as the islands saw seven occurrences of hail, in comparison with the seasonal average of five. 

Plenty of sun graced the Maltese islands during the winter season, as an average of 6.4 hours of sunshine were registered daily. 

578.1 hours of sunshine were registered during the winter months, as the norm was surpassed by 75 hours.