Air Temperature

Highest Maximum 24.1°C 26th
Lowest Maximum 14.7°C 3rd
Highest Minimum 15.8°C 29th
Lowest Minimum 6.6°C 11th

 

Mean Maximum 18.6°C
Mean Minimum 12.6°C
Mean 15.6°C

 

Relative Humidity

Lowest Relative Humidity 36% 27th

 

Mean Relative Humidity 74.9%

 

Wind

Highest Gust 62.8km/h 14th

 

Mean Wind Speed 14.2km/h
Most Frequent Wind Direction Northwest

 

Atmospheric Pressure

Highest Atmospheric Pressure 1028.2hPa 25th
Lowest Atmospheric Pressure 996.1hPa 21st

 

Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1014.1hPa

 

Precipitation

Total Rainfall During April 2022 4.7 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 556.2 mm

 

Highest 24 Hour Total 1.8 mm 16th

 

Rain Days 6 days
Thunderstorm Days 0 days
Hail Days 0 days

 

Rainfall Events

01/04/2022 0.5 mm Light Rain
07/04/2022 0.3 mm Light Rain
15/04/2022 0.8 mm Light Rain
16/04/2022 1.8 mm Isolated Shower
17/04/2022 0.8 mm Isolated Shower
18/04/2022 0.5 mm Light Rain

 

April 2022 Compared to the Climate Means

  Climate Mean April 2022 Anomaly
Mean Maximum Temperature 19.6°C 18.6°C -1.0°C
Mean Minimum Temperature 12.5°C 12.6°C +0.1°C
Mean Temperature 16.1°C 15.6°C -0.5°C
Mean Relative Humidity 77% 75.7% -1.3%
Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1014.3hPa 1014.1hPa -0.2hPa
Total Rainfall 23.2 mm 4.7 mm -18.5 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 561.7 mm 556.2 mm -5.5 mm
Total Rain Days 6 days 6 days /
Total Thunderstorm Days 1 days 0 days -1 day
Total Hail Days 1 day 0 days -1 day

 

COOLER and DRIER in APRIL 2022 

April 2022 maintained the trend of cooler than average weather set at the start of winter. The transition to the warmer months is slower and continues to lag slightly behind. With a mean temperature of 15.6°C, April 2022 was half a degree cooler than the norm, with the difference from the mean being more pronounced in maximum temperatures. The temperature started exceeding the 20°C mark towards the last week of the month. The coldest temperature last month was measured in the very early hours of the 11th, when the mercury dipped to 6.6°C. This was the only ‘extreme’ recorded in April 2022.

April 2022 became the fourth consecutive month to register below-average precipitation. The meagre 4.7 mm measured by our weather station was a mere 20% of the climate norm. At 2.0 mm, the national precipitation total stood at an even lower level. This fell over six days. Much of it was in the form of light rain that deposited fine desert sand. All zones of low pressure that traversed the central Mediterranean last month were of Sahara Desert origins. In fact, half of all days in April 2022 were characterized by airborne fine desert sand.

The wind blew from the Sirocco quarter for much of the month as well. This too is a tell-tale sign of the presence of north African low pressure systems. The wind gusted up to Force 6 or stronger on a staggering 12 days. The vast majority of these windy days were characterized by the Sirocco. The highest wind gust was registered at 62.8 km/h on the 14th, during a gale that forced the cancellation of a number of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday plans.

The meteorological situation last month was as one would expect in a typical April. The only difference was the enhancement of weather conditions. A number of ridges of high pressure developed across the central Mediterranean from time to time. These were very short-lived as they were repeatedly forced to dissipate or migrate eastwards by the zones of low pressure that persistently emerged from the Gulf of Gabes.

Rainfall Totals around the Maltese Islands in April 2022 (and since last September 1st):

Għarb: 4.7 mm (556.2 mm)

Victoria: 4.4 mm (576.8 mm)

Xewkija: 0.5 mm (534.6 mm)

Nadur: 3.0 mm (610.5mm)

Marsalforn: 3.4 mm (613.4 mm)

Mellieħa: 1.0 mm (537.4 mm)

Buġibba: 1.6 mm (610.0 mm)

Mġarr: 1.3 mm (579.3 mm)

Naxxar: 3.6 mm (622.9 mm)

Mosta: 2.8 mm (526.1 mm)

Dingli: 1.4 mm (481.3 mm)

Msida: 0.8 mm (584.2 mm)

Valletta: 0.3 mm (363.3 mm)

Imqabba: 1.5 mm (564.8 mm)

Żabbar: 1.0 mm (583.5 mm)

Birżebbuġa: 1.5 mm (422.7 mm)

Sliema: 1.3 mm (568.3 mm)

NATIONAL MEAN: 2.0 mm (549.5 mm)