Exactly as forecast, the Maltese Islands are being affected by a very strong wind from the East Northeast. As was forecast, parts of the Maltese Islands experienced some light rain on Wednesday 20/03. That was the first of three episodes of rainfall expected over the central Mediterranean this week. The next episode of rainfall will affect us on Thursday 21/03. A front over the Gulf of Gabes should extend towards the Maltese Islands overnight, and reach us in the morning. This will bring some showers to the Maltese Islands from mid-morning till late afternoon. Any showers may be heavy at times. A thunderstorm which may be heavy and with hail could reach us in the early afternoon. Total rainfall should exceed 10 mm in hardest hit localities. Gozo and the west of Malta should be the wettest. No severe thunderstorms are being anticipated. Furthermore, just as explained in the warning issued on Tuesday 19/03, the East Northeast wind is set to remain very strong till early afternoon on Thursday 21/03, before picking up again on Friday 22/03. Further showers and thunderstorms will also affect us on Friday 22/03 and Saturday 23/03. These will be discussed in a separate update.

Eżatt kif kien imbassar, il-Gżejjer Maltin qed jesperjenzaw riħ qawwi ħafna mill-Grieg il-Lvant. Kif kien imbassar, xi nħawi tal-Gżejjer Maltin raw xi ftit xita ħafifa fil-jum ta’ l-Erbgħa 20/03. Din kienet l-ewwel minn tliet episodju ta’ xita li mistennija jaħkmu iċ-ċentru tal-Mediterran matul din il-ġimgħa. L-episodju ta’ xita li jmiss mistenni jaffetwana il-Ħamis 21/03. Front fuq il-Golf ta’ Gabes se jkun qed jestendi lejn il-Gżejjer Maltin matul il-lejl, u jilħaqna filgħodu. Dan se jġib miegħu numru ta’ ħalbiet tax-xita fuq il-Gżejjer Maltin minn tard filgħodu sa tard wara nofsinhar. Il-ħalbiet tax-xita jistgħu jkunu qawwijin kultant. Maltempata bir-ragħad li tista tkun qawwija u bis-silġ tista tilħaqna kmieni wara nofsinhar. It-total ta’ xita se jaqbeż l-10 mm fl-aktar lokalitajiet milquta. Għawdex u l-punent ta’ Malta għandhom ikunu l-aktar imxarrba. L-ebda maltempati bir-ragħad severi ma għandhom jaffetwawna. Barra minn hekk, kif spjegat fit-twissija li ħriġna t-Tlieta 19/03, ir-riħ qawwi mill-Grieg il-Lvant mistenni jiqa qawwi ħafna sa kmieni wara nofsinhar tal-Ħamis 21/03, qabel ma jerġa jżid il-Ġimgħa 22/03. Aktar ħalbiet tax-xita u maltempati bir-ragħad se jaffetwawna il-Ġimgħa 22/03 u s-Sibt 23/03. Dawn se jiġu diskussi f’aġġornament separat.