Air Temperature
| Highest Maximum | 33.9°C | 16th |
| Lowest Maximum | 29.1°C | 21st |
| Highest Minimum | 26.7°C | 18th |
| Lowest Minimum | 22.1°C | 7th |
| Mean Maximum | 31.6°C |
| Mean Minimum | 24.0°C |
| Mean | 27.8°C |
Relative Humidity
| Highest Relative Humidity | 93% | Numerous days |
| Lowest Relative Humidity | 33% | 17th |
| Mean Relative Humidity | 78.5% |
Wind
| Highest Gust | 35.4km/h | 28th |
| Mean Wind Speed | 7.4km/h |
| Most Frequent Wind Direction | Northwest |
Atmospheric Pressure
| Highest Atmospheric Pressure | 1018.6hPa | 11th |
| Lowest Atmospheric Pressure | 1008.2hPa | 3rd |
| Mean Atmospheric Pressure | 1013.6hPa |
Precipitation
| Total Rainfall During August 2024 | 7.5 mm |
| Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 | 280.2 mm |
| Highest 24 Hour Total | 7.5 mm | 28th |
| Rain Days | 1 day |
| Thunderstorm Days | 1 day |
| Hail Days | 1 day |
Rainfall Events
| 22/08/2024 | Għarixa; Distant Showers | |
| 28/08/2024 | 6.6 mm | Isolated Thunderstorms with Hail; P.M. Thunderstorm |
| 29/08/2024 | Distant A.M. Showers |
August 2024 Compared to the Climate Means
| Climate Mean | August 2024 | Anomaly | |
| Mean Maximum Temperature | 31.7°C | 31.6°C | -0.1°C |
| Mean Minimum Temperature | 23.3°C | 24.0°C | +0.7°C |
| Mean Temperature | 27.5°C | 27.8°C | +0.3°C |
| Mean Relative Humidity | 73.6% | 78.5% | +4.9% |
| Mean Atmospheric Pressure | 1014.1hPa | 1013.6hPa | -0.5hPa |
| Total Rainfall | 10.6 mm | 7.5 mm | -3.1 mm |
| Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 | 529.4 mm | 280.2 mm | -249.2 mm |
| Total Rain Days | 1 day | 1 day | / |
| Total Thunderstorm Days | 1 day | 1 day | / |
| Total Hail Days | 0 days | 1 day | +1 day |
An Unstable End to Hot and Humid August
August 2024 lived up to the local saying “Awwissu x-xemx taħarqu u x-xita tmissu”. This is a local Maltese proverb describing August as being a very hot month, but also the month when we get the first rain. This was true, at least for some localities.
With an overall mean air temperature of 27.8°C, August was marginally warmer than average. This value by itself doesn’t reveal much. The first two and a half weeks of the month lived up to their expectation of being the year’s hottest period. The mean maximum temperature from the 1st through to the 18th was of 32.8°C. The remaining days of the month were characterized by large cumuliform clouds around lunchtime. This prevented daytime heating, allowing for less intense temperatures. The mean minimum temperature of 24.0°C was significantly higher than the norm. The mean sea surface temperature around the Maltese Islands stood at 29°C. That is some 2°C warmer than average. A very warm sea inhibits nighttime cooling of the air. Values of relative humidity were higher than the norm. This made the air feel rather clammy and uncomfortable at times. Values of relative humidity were also aggravated by rainfall on the 22nd.
August rain is not unheard of across the Maltese Islands, particularly as the month nears its end. August 2024 was characterized by one main episode of instability and several localized showers. The day of the 28th saw isolated thunderstorms popping around the Maltese Islands. Referred to as “popcorn” or “pop-up” cells, these clouds formed spontaneously due to ground heating under an unstable atmosphere. This was followed by a more active thunderstorm in the evening. 3000 lightning strikes were registered across the central Mediterranean in two hours. Much of its rainfall fell at sea, but it still accounted for much of the Maltese Islands’ only rainfall event of the month. Towering cumulus clouds featured on the vast majority of days towards the end of the month too The air closer to the surface of the islands was hot and humid. Simultaneously, cold air was present in the upper levels of the atmosphere. On sunlit days, the hot and humid air was forced to rise. Upon reaching the colder air aloft, moisture within the air mass condensed to form dense clouds. These clouds started forming in the late morning and dissipated by the late afternoon, generated showers for a handful of areas in central and southern Malta, particularly around Żurrieq.
Rainfall Totals around the Maltese Islands in August 2024 (and since last September 1st):
Għarb: 6.6 mm (276.0 mm)
Victoria: 4.3 mm (295.9 mm)
Xewkija: 1.8 mm (185.9 mm)
Nadur: 0.8 mm (278.4 mm)
Marsalforn: 3.5 mm (216.8 mm)
Mellieħa: 0.7 mm (226.8 mm)
Buġibba: 4.9 mm (284.8 mm)
Mġarr: 1.8 mm (261.3 mm)
Naxxar: 17.8 mm (302.5 mm)
Mosta: 11.4 mm (290.2 mm)
Dingli: 14.6 mm (281.9 mm)
Msida: 10.4 mm (290.2 mm)
Valletta: 11.8 mm (229.4 mm)
Imqabba: 15.0 mm (285.3 mm)
Birżebbuġa: 0.0 mm (235.2 mm)
Sliema: 3.1 mm (256.6 mm)
Fgura: 15.0 mm (257.2 mm)
NATIONAL MEAN: 7.3 mm (262.0 mm)