As we’ve been saying for the past few days, the Maltese Islands are in for a lengthy period of warmer than average temperatures and dry weather. Maximum temperatures will be above 20 C till well into the first week of December. No rain is expected till then either. Future maps may reveal that this period of fine weather could last even longer. It’s now almost certain that what we are experiencing a late Indian Summer. An omega blocking pattern appears to have established itself across much of the Mediterranean region. A blocking pattern in meteorology is a large-scale and nearly stationary high pressure system. This blocking pattern, or anticyclone, blocks incoming low pressure systems. In our case, low pressure systems which normally approach us from the west will be deviated further north towards the UK and Scandinavia, as shown on the chart. These blocks remain in place for several days or even weeks, causing the areas affected by them to have the same kind of weather for an extended period of time. In our case, we will continue experiencing these very stable conditions. for a longer period of time than was initially anticipated. This spell of bright sunshine and warm temperatures will continue into December. The wind will be moderate at times strong, however. Very little rain is to be expected until then. In the northern hemisphere, this is referred to as an Indian Summer, or locally, as is-Sajf ta’ San Martin. This year, it has come very late. It is wise to know, however, that a blocking pattern usually ends abruptly with a major rainfall event.

Kif ilna ngħidu għal dawn l-aħħar jiem, il-Gżejjer Maltin deħlin għal perjodu twil ta’ temperaturi ogħla mill-medja u nixfa. It-temperaturi massimi se jkun ogħla minn 20 C sa minn ta’ l-anqas l-ewwel ġimgħa ta’ Diċembru. Mhux qed nistennew xita sa dakinhar anqas. Mapep futuri jistgħu jindikaw li dan il-perjodu ta’ temp bnazzi jaf idum ferm aktar minn kemm kien mistenni. Issa ninsabu ċerti li dak li qed nesperjenzaw huwa Sajf ta’ San Martin li ġie tard. Arja bi pressjoni għolja. ġiet stabbilita fuq ir-reġjun tal-Mediterran. Din l-arja bi pressjoni għolja normalment tkun mifruxa fuq medda kbira u bilkemm tiċċaqlaq. Din l-arja bi pressjoni għolja, jew antiċiklun, tipprevjeni sistemi ta’ maltemp minn li jilħquna. Fil-każ tagħna, maltemp dieħel mill-punent jiġi devjat lejn it-tramuntana, kif indikat fuq il-mappa. Antiċiklun bħal dan jaf iżomm postu għal jiem jew saħansitra ġimgħat sħaħ, u b’hekk iwassal biex l-inħawi li jkunu affetwati minnu jesperjenzaw temp stabbli għal perjodu twil. Fil-każ tagħna, se nibqgħu ngawdu minn bnazzi għal żmien ferm itwal minn kemm konna qed nistennew għal-ewwel. Dan il-perjodu ta’ bnazzi mistenni li jibqa sejjer f’Diċembru. Ir-riħ se jkun moderat għal-qawwi, pero. Minħabba dan, ftit li xejn se tagħmel xita. Fl-emisfera ta’ fuq, dan il-perjodu twil ta’ bnazzi jisejjaħ Indian Summer. F’Malta nafuh bħala s-Sajf ta’ San Martin. Din is-sena, dan ġie tard ħafna. Hu tajjeb pero, li żżommu f’moħħkom li dan normalment jiġi fi tmiemu b’episodju ta’ xita qawwija.