The latest weather models are showing that the pattern of drier than average weather that has prevailed across the Maltese Islands since the beginning of December will continue till at least mid-February. A positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is responsible for this. In a positive NAO, areas of high pressure over the Azores are stronger than usual. Meanwhile, low pressure systems over Iceland are weaker and less frequent. This meteorological setting means that low pressure systems originating over the Atlantic are prevented from reaching the central Mediterranean. They are deviated north instead. As a result, the Maltese Islands experience a precipitation deficit. The Maltese Islands have received a measly 20.4 mm out of the 203.8 mm we normally expect during the months of December and January. Climate values show that these two months should make up the wettest part of the year. Any rain in the coming weeks will continue to be isolated and infrequent.

L-aħħar mudelli tat-temp qed juru li t-tendenza ta’ temp aktar niexef minn normal għandha tkompli sa minn ta’ l-anqas nofs Frar. It-temp niexef ilu għaddej minn Diċembru. Dan huwa r-riżultat ta’ ‘North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)’ pożittiva. NAO pożittiva sseħħ meta rqajja ta’ pressjoni għolja fuq l-Ażores ikunu aktar b’saħħithom minn normal. Fl-istess ħin, sistemi ta’ pressjoni baxxa fuq l-Iżlanda jkunu anqas b’saħħithom u frekwenti. Din is-sitwazzjoni tfisser li sistemi ta’ pressjoni baxxa li jiżviluppaw fuq l-Atlantiku ma jitħallewx jilħqu ċ-ċentru tal-Mediterran. Minflok, dawn jiġu mbuttati lejn it-tramuntana. Kaġun ta’ dan, il-Gżejjer Maltin jesperjenzaw nuqqas ta’ xita. Matul Diċembru u Jannar, tkejjlu biss 20.4 mm ta’ xita. Dan hu ferm anqas minn 203.8 mm, il-valur li normalment nirċievu matul dawn ix-xahrejn. Il-klima turina li x-xahrejn ta’ Diċembru u Jannar issoltu jiffurmaw l-aktar parti mxarrba tas-sena. Ix-xita matul il-ġimgħat li ġejjin se tkompli tkun iżolata u infrekwenti.