The Maltese Islands will swelter in an intense heat spell this weekend and the first half of next week. The mercury will soar to 36 C on Sunday 09/06 and Monday 10/06, the hottest days in this heat spell. Other hot days will be Saturday 08/06 and Monday 10/06, when a maximum temperature of 33 C is to be expected. Nighttime lows will be at 23 C / 24 C during the heat spell. The temperatures will be sizzling, but the Maltese Islands will not be going through a heatwave ed-hrvatski.com. By definition, a heatwave is a spell of at least five consecutive days with daytime highs exceeding the mean maximum temperature for that particular time of year by 5°C or more. This heat spell will be caused by a mass of hot air which will emerge from north Africa to engulf the western and central Mediterranean. Maximum temperatures should dip to 30 C / 31 C from Tuesday 11/06 onward. Nighttime lows will be at 20 C / 21 C from then onward.

The UV Index will be at a very high 10. This means an extreme risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Take all precautions because unprotected skin and eyes can be damaged in minutes. UV is highest in the early afternoon.

The landscape is parched. The abundant rainfall last winter has caused grass to grow taller than normal. Because of this, some areas are covered in very tall dry grass. Many valleys are covered in reeds. The extreme heat will elevate the risk of grass fires in the coming days. As a result, The Fire Weather Index is at an extremely high level locally.

Be careful and follow these precautions to minimize the risk of any of the hazards mentioned earlier. Precautions include:

– Shut windows and pull down the shades when it is hotter outside. Open again when cool.

– Stay in the coolest part of any building if possible.

– Stay out of the sun and don’t go out between 11am and 4pm.

– Have cool baths or showers.

– Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water or juice. Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol.

– If outdoors, seek shade and wear protective clothing.

– Check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be less able to look after themselves.

– Seek medical attention in case of heat-related symptoms.

– Wear SPF 30+ sunscreen and sunglasses.

– Watch out for bright surfaces, like sand and water, which reflect UV and increase exposure.

– Keep all pets and possibly stray animals in a cool area.

– Do not take pets out for walks in the sun (you may have shoes to protect your feet but their paws are in contact with the hot ground).

– Never leave anyone (including pets) in closed vehicles.

– Be more careful with materials conducive to fires (such as BBQs, cigarettes, glass disposal, garden litter etc …)

– Be careful extremely careful with fireworks, especially burning debris falling from the sky.

Remember that babies, young children, people with underlying conditions, pregnant women, the elderly and others whose job includes being physically active are at a greater risk.

 

Il-Gżejjer Maltin se jkunu qed jesperjenzaw sħana qawwija tul tmiem il-ġimgħa u l-ewwel nofs tal-ġimgħa li ġejja. It-temperatura se tkun qed tilħaq 36 C nhar il-Ħadd 09/06 u t-Tnejn 10/06, l-aktar jiem sħan f’din il-mewġa ta’ sħana. Jiem oħra sħan se jkunu s-Sibt 08/06 u t-Tnejn 10/06, bl-ogħla ta’ 33 C. It-temperaturi billejl se jkunu ta’ madwar 23 C / 24 C matul il-mewġa ta’ sħana. It-temperaturi se jkun jixwu, imma din is-sħana mhux mistennija tkun ‘heatwave’. Dan minħabba li ‘heatwave’ hija ħamest ijiem konsekuttivi jew aktar b’temperaturi massimi li jaqbżu l-medja għal dak iż-żmien tas-sena b’5 C jew aktar. Din-mewġa ta’ sħana se tkun qed tiġi kkaġunata minn massa ta’ arja sħuna li se titla minn l-Afrika ta’ fuq u tgħatti l-punent u ċ-ċentru tal-Mediterran. It-temperaturi massimi mistennija jinżlu għal 30 C / 31 C minn nhar it-Tlieta 11/06 ‘il quddiem. It-temperaturi ta’ billejl mistennija jinżlu għal 20 C / 21 C minn dakinhar ‘il quddiem.

L-indiċi UV se tkun f’livell għoli ta’ 10. Dan ifisser riskju estrem ta’ ħsara mix-xemx. Ħudu il-prekawzzjonijiet kollha peress li ġilda u għajnejn mhux protetti jistgħu isofru ħsara f’ħin qasir. Il-UV tkun l-ogħla kmieni wara nofsinhar.

Il-kampanja bħalissa niexfa. Ix-xita abbundanti tax-xitwa li għaddiet wasslet biex il-ħaxix twal aktar minn normal. Minħabba dan, xi nħawi huma miksija b’ħaxix twil ħafna u niexef. Il-widien ikunu mimlija qasab. Is-sħana estrema se twassal biex ir-riskju ta’ nirien ikun elevat.

Oqgħodu attenti u segwu dawn il-messaġġi ta’ prekawzjonijiet biex tnaqqsu r-riskju tal-perikli msemmija hawn fuq.

– Agħlqu t-twieqi u l-blinds/shutters fl-eqqel tas-sħana. Erġa iftaħ x’ħin jiffriska.

– Oqgħodu fl-aktar parti friska tal-bini.

– Evitaw li toqgħodu fix-xemx bejn 11am u 4pm.

– Inħaslu b’ilma frisk.

– Ixorbu xarbiet kesħin ta’ spiss. Pruvaw evitaw te’, kafe’ u alkoħol.

– Jekk tkunu barra, sibu d-dell u lbsu lbies addattat, kappell u nuċċali tax-xemx.

– Iċċekjaw li qraba, ħbieb u ġirien li ma jistgħux jieħdu ħsieb tagħhom infushom, ikunu sew.

– Ikkonsulta tabib f’każ ta’ sintomi marbuta ma’ kundizzjonijiet ta’ sħana

– Użaw SPF 30% sunscreen u nuċċali tax-xemx.

– Żommu l-annimali tagħkom u anke dawk tat-triq jekk possibbli f’post frisk.

– Toħorġux lil klieb jimxi fix-xemx (intom għandkom żarbun jipproteġikom mil-art tikwi, l-annimali ma għandhomx).

– Qatt tħalli lil ħadd, inkluż annimali, f’vetturi.

– Użaw materjali fjammabbli b’aktar reqqa (bħal BBQs, sigaretti, ħġieġ, kimiċi tal-pool, skart organiku etc …).

– Oqogħdu attenti mill-logħob tan-nar.

Ftakkru li trabi, tfal żgħar, nies b’kundizzjonijiet li ma jidhrux, nisa tqal, xjuħ u nies li jaħdmu fuq barra għandhom riskju akbar.