Updates

ENGLISH/INGLIŻ

The persistent anticyclone that brought uninterrupted warm and dry weather to the Maltese Islands since early October will move away. The meteorological situation around the central Mediterranean is set to switch. A cold front associated with an intense low pressure system over central Italy will move into our area in the night between Friday 4^th November and Saturday 5^th November. This will be followed by successive troughs of low pressure that will remain stationary over our region till late on Sunday 6^th November. What are we expecting this weekend?

Temperature: It will drop drastically with the arrival of the cold front. With a daytime high of 17°C and nighttime low of 13°C, Saturday will be the coolest day in months. The strong wind will push real-feels even lower.

Rainfall: A thundery shower possibly heavy and with hail will be associated with the cold front that should reach the Maltese Islands at some point overnight or early on Saturday. The wind will also strengthen rapidly around this time. This initial intense shower will be followed by a series of isolated rain and/or hail showers that will persist till mid-afternoon on Sunday. We should be receiving a decent amount of rainfall.

Wind: The South Southwest wind will strengthen gradually on Friday, becoming Force 6 to 7 by late evening. The wind direction will shift rapidly to the Northwest with the arrival of the cold front. It will also strengthen rapidly at this point, and should reach Force 7 to 8. The wind will remain at Force 7 to 8 till late morning on Sunday, before decreasing gradually to become Force 3 to 4 by late evening on Sunday.

Frequent updates will be posted on our page.

MALTI / MALTESE

Antiċiklun persistenti li ġabilna temp sħun u niexef sa mill-bidu ta’ Ottubru se jisfaxxa fix-xejn. Is-sitwazzjoni meterjoloġika madwar iċ-ċentru tal-Mediterran se taqleb drastikament. Front kiesaħ abbinat ma’ sistema intensa ta’ pressjoni baxxa fuq iċ-ċentru ta’ l-Italja se jgħaddi mill-inħawi tagħna matul il-lejl ta’ bejn il-Ġimgħa 4 ta’ Novembru u s-Sibt 5 ta’ Novembru. Din se tkun segwita minn serje ta’ sistemi oħra li se jkunu stazzjonarji fuq l-inħaw tagħna sa tard il-Ħadd 6 ta’ Novembru. X’qed nistennew għal tmiem il-ġimgħa?

Temperatura: Din se tonqos drastikament mal-wasal tal-front kiesaħ. B’temperatura massima ta’ 17°C u dik minima ta’ 13°C, il-jum tas-Sibt se jkun l-aktar frisk f’xhu twal. Ir-riħ qawwi se jagħmilha tinħass ferm aktar kiesħa wkoll.

Xita: Ħalba xita bir-ragħad possibilment qawwija u bis-silġ li se tkun abbinata ma’ dan il-front kiesaħ mistennija tilħaqna f’xi ħin matul il-lejl jew kmieni s-Sibt. Ir-riħ se jitqawwa f’daqqa lejn dan il-ħin ukoll. Din ix-xita inizzjali se tkun segwita minn ħalbiet iżolati tax-xita u/jew silġ li se jippersistu sa tard waranofsinhar tal-Ħadd. Qed nistennew ammont ta’ xita sostanzjali.

Riħ: Ir-riħ minn Nofsinhar il-Lbiċ se jitqawwa bilmod matul il-jum tal-Ġimgħa, u se jsir Forza 6 għal 7 sa tard filgħaxija. Ir-riħ se jaqleb f’daqqa lejn il-Majjistral mal-wasal tal-front kiesaħ. Se jitqawwa f’daqqa lejn dan il-ħin u mistenni jilħaq Forza 7 għal 8. Ir-riħ se jibqa Forza 7 għal 8 sa tard filgħodu l-Ħadd, qabel ma jonqos gradwalment u jsir Forza 3 għal 4 sa tard filgħaxija tal-Ħadd.

Aġġornamenti frekwenti se jsegwu fuq il-paġna tagħna.

General Situation: An anticyclone will continue dominating the Mediterranean, ensuring very fine weather across the Maltese Islands.

Weather Conditions: The sky will be mainly sunny. There will be mist or fog patches along with some low clouds in the early morning and overnight hours.

Temperature: Temperatures will be around average for this time of year. Daytime highs will hover at 23°C. Nigh time lows will dip to 16°C/17°C.

Wind: It will be calm early and late, becoming Force 3 to 4 from varying wind directions during the day.

ENGLISH/INGLIŻ

We set clocks back an hour in the very early hours of Sunday 30th October. The German Empire and its World War I ally Austria-Hungary were the first to use Daylight Saving Time (DST) as a means of conserving coal during wartime. Others followed suit. Most countries abandoned it in the years following World War II. Since then, the world has seen many enactments, adjustments, and repeals. Much of Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania do not follow it anymore. Back in 2019 the European Parliament approved a proposal to scrap the system across the European Union. Due to delays caused by the pandemic, and now by a global energy crisis, the process is still in the legislative stages. There is no tentative date for when this will be confirmed. There are several arguments, both in favour and against. If we stick to summer time, it will be darker in the mornings in winter, but there will be much more light in the evening. If we stick to winter time, there will be more light in the mornings in winter, but it will get dark earlier in the summer. Do you think Daylight Saving Time is still relevant nowadays?

This year, Daylight Saving Time ends in the night between Saturday 29th October and Sunday 30th October, so do not forget to move your clock back one hour before going to bed on Saturday. On Sunday, the sun rises at 06:22 and sets at 17:08, as winter slowly sets in.

MALTI / MALTESE

Fis-siegħat bikrijin tal-Ħadd 30 ta’ Ottubru, nmexxu l-arloġġi b’siegħa lura. L-Imperu Germaniż, flimkien ma’ l-alleati tiegħu ta’ l-Ewwel Gwerra l-Awstrija u l-Ungerija, kienu l-ewwel li ħarġu bl-idea tal-bidla fil-ħin. Dan biex inaqqsu l-konsum tal-faħam fi żmien il-gwerra. Oħrajn għamlu bħalhom. Ħafna pajjiżi ma baqgħux jużaw din is-sistema’ wara t-Tieni Gwerra. Minn dakinhar sa issa, id-dinja rat ħafna tibdil f’din is-sistema’. Ħafna minn l-Afrika, l-Asja, l-Amerka ta’ Isfel u l-Awstralja ma għadhomx b’din is-sistema’ ta’ ħin. Fl-2019, il-Parlament Ewropwe approva proposta li s-sistema ta’ bdil fil-ħin tieqaf madwar l-Unjoni Ewropea kollha. Minħabba dewmien ikkawżat mill-pandemija, u l-kriżi globali ta’ l-enerġija ta’ bħalissa, il-proċess għadu fl-istadju leġislattiv. Ma hemmx żmien indikattiv ta’ meta għandha tittieħed deċiżjoni finali. Hemm diversi argumenti favur u kontra. Jekk inżommu l-ħin tas-sajf, se jkollna aktar dlam filgħodu fix-xitwa, imma aktar dawl filgħaxija. Jekk inżommu l-ħin tax-xitwa, se jkun hemm aktar dawl filgħodu fix-xitwa, imma se jidlam aktar kmieni fis-sajf. Int taħseb li l-bidla fil-ħin għadha relevanti llum il-ġurnata?

Il-ħin tas-sajf jasal fi tmiemu matul il-lejl ta’ bejn is-Sibt 29 ta’ Ottubru u l-Ħadd 3o ta’ Ottubru. Għalhekk tinsewx tressqu l-ħin b’siegħa lura qabel torqdu. Nhar il-Ħadd, ix-xemx titla fis-06:22 u tinżel fil-17:08, hekk kif ix-xitwa tibda toqrob.

General Situation: An anticyclone will continue dominating the Mediterranean, ensuring very fine weather across the Maltese Islands.

Weather Conditions: The sky will be sunny. There will be mist or fog patches along with some low clouds in the early morning and overnight hours.

Temperature: Temperatures will be around average for this time of year. Daytime highs will hover at 25°C/°C. Nigh time lows will dip to 16°C/17°C.

Wind: It will be calm early and late, becoming Variable Force 2 to 3 during the day.

ENGLISH/INGLIŻ

As we’ve pointed out recently, the Maltese Islands are in for a lengthy period of warmer than average temperatures and dry weather. An omega blocking pattern has established itself across much of the Mediterranean region. An omega blocking pattern in meteorology is a large-scale and nearly stationary high pressure system. This blocking pattern, or anticyclone, will prevent low pressure systems over the Atlantic from reaching the Mediterranean region. These will instead be deviated to the north, towards the British Isles and Scandinavia. This deviation is indicated by the red arrows. These blocks remain in place for days to weeks on end, causing affected areas to experience stable weather for an extended period of time. The Maltese Islands are in for an extended spell of uninterrupted bright sunshine, warm to very warm maximum temperatures (with fresh minimum temperatures) and light winds. This state of affairs will persist till at least the first days of November. Very little rain, if at all, is to be expected until then. In the northern hemisphere this is referred to as an Indian Summer. Locally it is known as Is-Sajf ta’ San Martin. October 2022 will end up being among the driest Octobers in the past decade.

MALTI / MALTESE

Kif għidna riċentament, il-Gżejjer Maltin deħlin għal perjodu fit-tul ta’ temp aktar sħun mill-medja u nixfa totali. Firxa estensiva ta’ pressjoni għolja żviluppat fuq ir-reġjun tal-Mediterran. Din il-firxa ta’ pressjoni għolja b’arja stabbli tinfluwenza t-temp fuq reġjun estensiv għal tul ta’ żmien u ftit li xejn tiċċaqlaq. Tissejjaħ ukoll bħalha antiċiklun, din il-firxa ta’ arja bi pressjoni għolja twaqqaf sistemi ta’ maltemp fuq l-Atlantiku minn li jilħqu r-reġjun tal-Mediterran. Dawn ikunu mbuttati lil hinn minnha lejn il-Gżejjer Brittaniċi u l-Iskandinavja. Dan il-moviment huwa ndikat bi vleġġeġ ħomor. Din il-firxa ta’ pressjoni għolja se żżomm minn ġranet sa ġimgħat sħaħ f’postha, biex b’hekk ir-reġjun affetwat jesperjenza temp stabbli għal perjodu twil ta’ żmien. Qed nistennew li l-Gżejjer Maltin jesperjenzaw episodju ta’ temp ġeneralment xemxi, temperaturi massimi sħan (b’temperaturi minimi li jiffriskaw sew kultant) u riħ ħafif. Dan it-temp se jkun qed jippersisti sa minn ta’ l-anqas l-ewwel jiem ta’ Novembru. Ftit li xejn għandna nistennew xita sa dakinhar. Lokalment dan nafuh bħalha s-Sajf ta’ San Martin. Ottubru 2022 mistenni li jkun wieħed minn l-aktar nexfin ta’ dan l-aħħar deċenju.

General Situation: The centre of an anticyclone will be almost stationary over the central Mediterranean this weekend. This will maintain stability locally. It should start slowly retreating eastwards late on Sunday 9th October, raising the prospects of slight instability next week.

Weather Conditions: The sky will be sunny on Saturday 8th October and mainly sunny or partly cloudy on Sunday 9th October. Rain is unlikely.

Temperature: Temperatures will be around average for this time of year. Daytime highs will hover at 25°C. Nigh time lows will dip to 18°C.

Wind: It will be a relatively calm weekend too. The wind will be mainly light and from a predominantly West to South-westerly direction.

General Situation: A low pressure system over the western Mediterranean will move across Italy and into the Balkans. Meanwhile, an area of high pressure will develop over the western Mediterranean.

Weather Conditions: The sky will be variably to mostly cloudy on Friday 30th September and Saturday 1st October. It will be sunny on Sunday 2nd October, as the zone of high pressure expanding to our west stabilises the atmosphere above the central Mediterranean.

Temperature: It will be relatively warm on Friday 30th September and Saturday 1st October, as southerly winds blow warm air towards our region. It will become cooler on Sunday 2nd October, as the wind turns to the Northwest. Maximum temperatures will dip from 29°C to 26°C. Minimum temperatures will dip from 25°C to 21°C.

Wind: The wind will be breezy throughout, reaching Force 5 to 6, at times 7, over the course of the weekend. It will be from the South Southeast to East Southeast on Friday 30th September. It will then gradually veer on Saturday 1st October, becoming Northwest by the afternoon. It will blow from the Northwest all day on Sunday 2nd October.

ENGLISH/INGLIŻ

A breezy weekend is on the cards, as the Maltese Islands find themselves caught up in between different pressure systems. The wind will reach Force 5 to 6, at times 7, throughout the weekend. It will be from the South Southeast to East Southeast on Friday 30th September. It will veer gradually over the course of Saturday 1st October, becoming Northwest by the afternoon. It will then remain from the Northwest throughout Sunday 2nd October. The strong wind will mean choppy seas along exposed areas of the Maltese Islands. This is not all, however. A confused swell is also possible. Swell waves consist of waves that have been generated by the wind in distant weather systems, but have drifted away from their origin. Swell waves are largely unaffected by local winds, and normally persist for some time before dissipating. We could see that this weekend. Friday’s onset of a strong South Southeast to East Southeast wind means that swells from those directions will approach the Maltese Islands. As the wind veers Northwest on Saturday 1st October, swell waves from the Northwest will approach the central Mediterranean. The interaction of swell waves from opposite directions sometimes leads to confused and overlapping swells. A confused swell may pose a hazard to swimmers and scuba divers, especially when further away from the shore. Crossing swells may also make boat handling more difficult. We advise you to keep this in mind, especially on Saturday 1st October.

MALTI / MALTESE

Tmiem il-ġimgħa se jkun wieħed pjuttost mirjieħ. Il-Gżejjer Maltin se jkunu maqbuda bejn żona ta’ pressjoni atmosferika differenti. Ir-riħ se jlaħħaq Forza 5 għal 6, kultant 7, fil-jiem li ġejjin. Ir-riħ se jkun minn Nofsinhar ix-Xlokk għal Xlokk il-Lvant nhar il-Ġimgħa 30 ta’ Settembru. Dan idur bilmod nhar is-Sibt 1 ta’ Ottubru, u jsir Majjistral minn waranofsinhar. Ir-riħ jibqa mill-Majjistral għal Ħadd 2 ta’ Ottubru. Ir-riħ qawwi se jfisser baħar kemmxejn imqalleb fl-inħawi fejn jaqbel. Dan mhux kollox, pero’. Jaf ikollna wkoll imbatt imħawwad. L-imbatt huma mewġ li jiġu ġġenerati f’sistemi tat-temp lil hinn minn xtutna, u li jibqgħu ġejjin l’hawn. Dawn kapaċi jippersistu għal siegħat twal qabel ma jisfaxxaw fix-xejn. Fil-jiem li ġejjin nistgħu naraw imbatt minn direzzjonijiet varji. Ir-riħ qawwi minn Nofsinhar ix-Xlokk għal Xlokk il-Lvant tal-Ġimgħa 30 ta’ Settembru ifisser imbatt minn dawk id-direzzjonijiet. Kif ir-riħ idur lejn il-Majjistral nhar is-Sibt 1 ta’ Ottubru, imbatt mill-Majjistral jibda jilħaq il-Gżejjer Maltin. Meta imbatt minn direzzjonijiet opposti jiltaqgħa, jaf iwassal għal baħar imħawwad. Dan jista jkun ta’ xkiel għal għawwiema u l-bugħaddasa, speċjalment jekk ikunu imbiegħda mill-kosta. Imbatt imħawwad kapaċi jagħmilha aktar diffiċli biex tikkontrolla dgħajjes żgħar. Navżawkom biex tkunu kawti u tiftakru f’dan, speċjalment għal jum tas-Sibt 1 ta’ Ottubru.

ENGLISH/INGLIŻ

A zone of instability currently off Libya will extend slowly towards the central Mediterranean. It will intensify over the very warm sea, leading to the development of showers. These showers will affect the Maltese Islands on Sunday 25th and Monday 26th. They may be heavy and thundery at times. No severe weather is being anticipated. The arrival of this zone of instability will also be marked by a strong southerly wind. The South Southeast to South Southwest wind will blow at Force 4 to 5 from late morning on Sunday 25th till late afternoon on Monday 26th. A cold front is likely to approach the Maltese Islands from the northwest in the evening on Monday 26th, causing the wind to shift suddenly to the Northwest and continue reaching Force 4 to 5. This sudden shift in wind direction will cause a confused swell at sea and for this reason we advise to be cautious at sea.

MALTI / MALTESE

Żona nstabbli qrib il-Libja se testendi bilmod lejn iċ-ċentru tal-Mediterran. Il-baħar sħun ta’ madwarna se jwassal biex din tintensifika u tiżviluppa xi ħalbiet tax-xita. Dawn il-ħalbiet tax-xita se jaffetwa il-Gżejjer Maltin nhar il-Ħadd 25 ta’ Settembru u t-Tnejn 26 ta’ Settembru. Dawn jistgħu jkunu qawwijin u bir-ragħad kultant. L-ebda maltemp sever mhu mistenni. Il-wasal ta’ din iż-żona nstabbli se jkun immarkat b’riħ Forzs 4 għal 5 minn Nofsinhar ix-Xlokk għal Nofsinhar il-Lbiċ. Dan se jonfoħ minn tard filgħodu l-Ħadd 25 ta’ Settembru sa tard wara nofsinhar it-Tnejn 26 ta’ Settembru. Front kiesaħ mistenni jilħaq il-Gżejjer Maltin matul filgħaxija tat-Tnejn 26 ta’ Settembru, u jwassal biex ir-riħ idur f’daqqa mill-Majjistral u jkompli jilħaq Forza 4 għal 5. Din il-bidla fir-riħ se twassal għal imbatt imħawwad fuq il-baħar u għalhekk nitolbukhom tkunu aktar kawti fuq il-baħar.

General Situation: The low pressure that sparked showers and thunderstorms across the central Mediterranean on the 22nd and the 23rd will migrate eastwards. A ridge of high pressure will move in, ensuring stability for the weekend. This will be short-lived, however, as another zone of low pressure looks set to establish itself over our area by late on Sunday.

Weather Conditions: The sky will be partly to variably cloudy. Cloudiness will increase gradually on Sunday, with light rain becoming possible in the afternoon.

Temperature: It will be the first weekend in months with temperatures below the norm for the time of year. Maximum temperatures will be in the region of 25°C to 27°C. Minimum temperatures will be of around 19°C / 20°C.

Wind: The wind will be mainly moderate, with the direction shifting gradually from the East Southeast to South Southeast.