Air Temperature

Highest Maximum 38.3°C 17th
Lowest Maximum 29.1°C 25th
Highest Minimum 28.0°C 18th
Lowest Minimum 21.1°C 24th

 

Mean Maximum 31.4°C
Mean Minimum 23.9°C
Mean 27.6°C

 

 Relative Humidity

Highest Relative Humidity 94% 17th
Lowest Relative Humidity 25% 17th

 

Mean Relative Humidity 76.6%

 

 Wind

Highest Gust 43.5km/h 19th

 

Mean Wind Speed 8.5km/h
Most Frequent Wind Direction Northwest

 

Atmospheric Pressure

Highest Atmospheric Pressure 1018.9hPa 30th
Lowest Atmospheric Pressure 1008.2hPa 22nd

 

Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1013.3hPa

 

Precipitation

Total Rainfall During August 2022 9.7 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 586.0 mm

 

Highest 24 Hour Total 5.1 mm 11th

 

Rain Days 2
Thunderstorm Days 3
Hail Days 0

 

 Rainfall Events

10/8/2022 4.6 mm Showers, Thunder in Vicinity
11/8/2022 5.1 mm Showers, Thunder in Vicinity, Waterspouts
12/8/2022 0.0 mm Thunder in Vicinity

 

August 2022 Compared to the Climate Means

  Climate Mean August 2022 Anomaly
Mean Maximum Temperature 31.4°C 31.4°C Nil
Mean Minimum Temperature 22.7°C 23.9°C +1.2°C
Mean Temperature 27.1°C 27.6°C +0.5°C
Mean Relative Humidity 73% 76.6% +3.6%
Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1015.4hPa 1013.3hPa +2.1hPa
Total Rainfall 8.6 mm 9.7 mm +1.1 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 585.6 mm 586.0 mm +0.4 mm
Total Rain Days 1 day 2 days +1 day
Total Thunderstorm Days 0 days 3 days +3 days
Total Hail Days 0 days 0 days Nil

 

HOTTER but WETTER in AUGUST 2022

 

The third and final month of the meteorological summer completed a whole season of hotter than average temperatures. The mean maximum temperature of 31.4°C conformed with the climate norm. The mean minimum temperature of 23.9°C exceeded the norm by a staggering 1.2°C. Overall, August 2022’s mean temperature of 27.6°C was half a degree warmer than the climate average for a typical August. This anomaly in minimum temperatures could be directly attributed to a very warm central Mediterranean Sea (with a sea surface temperature of 28°C to 29°C). A very warm sea inhibits nighttime cooling of air across land areas. Despite maximum temperatures being around the norm for the time of year, elevated levels of relative humidity made for some very uncomfortable days. Relative humidity averaged 76.6% overall, with the level failing to drop below 50% on most days. The heat index exceeded 40°C on a number of days. The heat index is what the air temperature actually feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with air temperature in the shade. A number of rain showers drenched zones of the Maltese Islands around the 10th and 11th. Much of the rain that fell in these showers evporated from the soil and vegetation in the following days, causing levels of relative humidity to spike. Last month also accounted for the hottest day and night recorded at our weather station over the course of this year’s meteorological summer. The mercury hit a sweltering 38.3°C on the 17th. It dipped to only 28.0°C the following night.

August 2022 was a very interesting month with regards to precipitation. Despite the intense heat that dominated much of last month, it was a rather unstable month. Towering cumulus clouds featured on the vast majority of days. The air closer to the surface was hot and humid. Simultaneously, cold air was present in the upper levels of the atmosphere. On sunlit days, the hot and humid air is forced to rise. Upon reaching the colder air aloft, moisture within the air mass condenses to form dense clouds. These clouds start forming in the late morning and dissipate by the late afternoon, peaking in the mid-afternoon. These clouds generated some intense thunderstorms from 10th to 12th August. Various localities around the Maltese Islands experienced showers. A handful of localities were drenched by intense downpours. Localities to the south of Malta remained largely dry. Total precipitation tallied at a national average of 22.2 mm. A few localities received in excess of two inches (or 50 mm) of precipitation.

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

Għarb: 9.7 mm (586.0 mm)

Victoria: 18.1 mm (615.3 mm)

Xewkija: 11.4 mm (562.6 mm)

Nadur: 7.4 mm (626.8 mm)

Marsalforn: 3.6 mm (629.4 mm)

Mellieħa: 44.2 mm (587.8 mm)

Buġibba: 31.8 mm (651.7 mm)

Mġarr: 52.3 mm (644.1 mm)

Naxxar: 56.4 mm (688.1 mm)

Mosta: 61.7 mm (605.5 mm)

Dingli: 2.0 mm (497.1 mm)

Msida: 33.3 mm (627.7 mm)

Valletta: 13.6 mm (384.6 mm)

Imqabba: 12.4 mm (592.8 mm)

Żabbar: 12.0 mm (607.5 mm)

Birżebbuġa: 0.8 mm (432.6 mm)

Sliema: 16.8 mm (594.9mm)

NATIONAL MEAN: 22.8 mm (584.8 mm)