Air Temperature

Highest Maximum 32.3°C 16th
Lowest Maximum 21.3°C 7th
Highest Minimum 20.6°C 16th 
Lowest Minimum 13.4°C 9th

 

Mean Maximum 24.7°C
Mean Minimum 17.3°C
Mean 21.0°C

 

Relative Humidity

Highest Relative Humidity 100% On 4th and 5th 
Lowest Relative Humidity 30% 17th

 

Mean Relative Humidity 76.8%

 

Atmospheric Pressure

Highest Atmospheric Pressure 1028.5hPa 23rd
Lowest Atmospheric Pressure 1007.5hPa 11th

 

Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1016.9hPa

 

Wind

Highest Gust 54.7km/h 7th

 

Mean Wind Speed 10.8km/h
Mean Gust Speed 32.1km/h
Mean Wind + Gust Speed 21.5km/h
Most Frequent Wind Direction South Southeast

 

Precipitation

Total Rainfall During April 2020 6.6 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 405.8 mm

 

Highest 24 Hour Total 6.6 mm 30th

 

Rain Days 2
Thunderstorm Days 1
Hail Days 0

 

Rainfall Events

27/05/2020 TR mm Severe Thunderstorm in Malta; Drizzle in Għarb
30/05/2020 6.6 mm Rain Shower


May 2020 Compared to the Climate Means   

  Climate Mean May 2020 Anomaly
Mean Maximum Temperature 23.4°C 24.7°C +1.3°C
Mean Minimum Temperature 15.8°C 17.3°C +1.5°C
Mean Temperature 19.6°C 21.0°C +1.4°C
Mean Relative Humidity 71% 76.8% +5.8%
Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1015.3hPa 1016.9hPa +1.6hPa
Mean Wind Speed 17.0 km/h 21.5km/h +4.5km/h
Most Frequent Wind Direction Northwest South Southeast +157.5°
Total Rainfall 9.9 mm 6.6 mm -3.3 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 543.6 mm 405.8 mm -137.8 mm
Total Rain Days 3 2 -1
Total Thunderstorm Days 1 1 0
Total Hail Days 1 0 0

 

One Heatwave and a Severe Thunderstorm in May 2020

Most days last month were characterized by air temperatures at or slightly above the climate average. The same cannot be said for the stretch of days from the 12th till the 17th, however. Warmer than average temperatures characterized much of May 2020’s second week. Using the national criterion for a heatwave, we may conclude that the Maltese Islands experienced one heatwave during this month. This lasted for three days, from 14/05/2020 till 16/05/2020. The maximum temperature measured during this heatwave was of 32.3°C on the 16th. It was the hottest May day in 14 years. With a monthly mean temperature of 21.0°C, May 2020 was 1.4°C warmer than usual. Both days and nights were substantially warmer.

The most notable event last month was a severe thunderstorm on 27/05/2020. At least two thunderstorms drenched mainland Malta on that day. The second of these, which struck late in the afternoon, was confirmed as having been severe. It produced wind gusts of up to Force 8 (over 62 km/h), hailstones with a diameter of around 2.5 centimetres (the size of a €2 coin) and a confirmed waterspout (dissipated when over the beach) close to Armier. Total rainfall ranged from 6.4 mm (Birżebbuġa) to 41.2 mm (Għargħur). A separate shower occurred over parts of Gozo. The western half of the sister island, which encompasses our weather station in Għarb, remained completely dry. Għarb saw only one day of rain. This was the 30th, when 6.6 mm of rain were measured during an afternoon shower.

This year’s May lived up to the expectation of it being a blustery month, with 10 days in total seeing winds greater than Force 6 (39 km/h) on the Beaufort Scale. Soitherly winds dominated May 2020. In fact, the wind blew from a southerly quadrant on a total of 17 days.

Atmospheric pressure clocked in at an average 1016.9hPa. This is well above average for this time of year.