An area of high pressure emerging from north Africa will drag with it a plume of hot air over the central and eastern Mediterranean. From Thursday 14/05 through to Sunday 17/05, the Maltese Islands will experience daytime highs in the region of 30°C to 34°C. These values are 7°C to 11°C higher than the mean maximum temperature for May. As a result, it will qualify as a heatwave. The relatively high humidity will push real-feel values up. They will reach 36°C at times early in the afternoon. Nights should be clammy. These real-feel values can lead to certain dangerous heat disorders with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity. These include heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The UV Index will be at 11+ on some days. This means an extreme risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. It is best to take all precautions because unprotected skin and eyes can be damaged. UV is highest early in the afternoon. The sky will be white in colour when not covered in clouds, due to airborne fine desert sand. The wind will be mainly East Southeast, blowing very strong at times, mainly on Thursday 14/05, Saturday 16/05 and Sunday 17/05.

Follow these precautions to minimise the risk of any of the hazards mentioned earlier on. Precautions include:

  • Shut windows and pull down shades when hotter outside. Open again when cool.
  • Avoid direct exposure to the sun between 11am and 4pm.
  • Have cool baths or showers.
  • Drink cool drinks, such as water or juice, regularly. Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol.
  • Wear SPF 30+ sunscreen and sunglasses.
  • Watch out for bright surfaces, like sand and water. These increase UV 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 animals) in closed vehicles.
  • Be more careful with materials conducive to fires (such as BBQs, cigarettes, glass disposal, garden litter etc …)

The African plume will retreat slowly on Monday 18/05. A strong Northwest wind will cause air temperatures to dip to average levels by Tuesday 19/05.

 

Firxa ta’ pressjoni għolja li se tfeġġ minn l-Afrika ta’ fuq se tkun qed tgħatti iċ-ċentru u l-lvant tal-Mediterran. Mill-Ħamis 14/05 sal-Ħadd 17/05, il-Gżejjer Maltin se jesperjenzaw temperaturi massimi ta’ 30°C sa 34°C. Dawn huma xi 7°C sa 11°C ogħla mill-medja għal dan iż-żmien tas-sena. Għalhekk, dan il-perjodu ta’ sħan se jikkwalifika bħala ‘heatwave’. Il-livelli ta’ l-umdita’ se jfissru li dawn it-temperaturi jinħassu aktar sħan. Filfatt, se jkunu qed jinħassu daqs li kieku 36°C f’xi ħin kmieni wara nofsinhar. L-iljieli jkunu umdi. Temperaturi bħal dawn jistgħu iwasslu għal xi kundizzjonijiet assoċjati ma’ sħana qawwija f’każ li wieħed jesponi ruħu fit-tul jew jagħmel attivita’ fiżika eċċessiva f’din is-sħana. Dawn jinkludu ‘heat cramps’, ‘heat exhaustion’ u ‘heat stroke’. L-indiċi UV se tkun f’livell estrem ta’ 11+ f’xi jiem. Dan ifisser riskju estrem ta’ ħsara mix-xemx. Jeħtieġ li nieħdu kull prekawzzjoni peress li l-ġilda u għajnejn mhux protetti jistgħu isofru ħsara. Il-UV tkun l-ogħla kmieni wara nofsinhar. Is-sema se jkun abjad meta ma jkunx mgħotti bis-sħab, minħabba trab fin mid-deżert fl-arja. Ir-riħ se jkun il-biċċa l-kbira mix-Xlokk il-Lvant, u se jkun qawwi kultant, l-aktar nhar il-Ħamis 14/05, is-Sibt 16/05 u l-Ħadd 17/05.

Segwu dawn il-messaġġi ta’ prekawzjonijiet biex tnaqqsu r-riskju tal-perikli mis-sħana:

  • Agħlqu t-twieqi u l-blinds/shutters fl-eqqel tas-sħana. Erġgħu iftħu x’ħin jiffriska.
  • Evitaw li toqgħodu fix-xemx bejn 11am u 4pm.
  • Inħaslu b’ilma frisk.
  • Ixorbu xarbiet friski ta’ spiss. Pruvaw evitaw te’, kafe’ u alkoħol.
  • Użaw SPF 30% sunscreen u nuċċali tax-xemx.
  • Oqgħodu attenti minn uċuħ ċari bħal ilma u r-ramel. Dawn iżidu l-effett tal-UV.
  • Żommu l-annimali tagħkom u anke dawk tat-triq jekk possibbli f’post frisk.
  • Toħorġux lil klieb jimxu fix-xemx (aħna għandna żarbun jipproteġina 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 …).

Din il-vampa Afrikana se tħallina bilmod nhar it-Tnejn 18/05. Riħ qawwi mill-Majjistral iniżżel it-temperaturi għal livelli medji minn nhar it-Tlieta 19/05.