Air Temperature

Highest Maximum 32.7°C 18th
Lowest Maximum 18.7°C 9th
Highest Minimum 22.9°C 18th
Lowest Minimum 10.7°C 5th

 

Mean Maximum 24.1°C
Mean Minimum 17.1°C
Mean 20.6°C

 

Relative Humidity

Highest Relative Humidity 95% Numerous days
Lowest Relative Humidity 32% 23rd

 

Mean Relative Humidity 78.4%

 

Wind

Highest Gust 46.7km/h 21st

 

Mean Wind Speed 10.5km/h
Most Frequent Wind Direction Northwest

 

Atmospheric Pressure

Highest Atmospheric Pressure 1020.1hPa 3rd
Lowest Atmospheric Pressure 1004.0hPa 16th

 

Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1014.5hPa

 

Precipitation

Total Rainfall During May 2024 13.7 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 271.6 mm

 

Highest 24 Hour Total 8.5 mm 8th

 

Rain Days 4 days
Thunderstorm Days 2 days
Hail Days 0 days

 

Rainfall Events

01/05/2024 3.3 mm Thunderstorm
08/05/2024 8.5 mm Rainy
09/05/2024 0.5 mm Light Rain
11/05/2024   Haze
15/05/2024 TR mm Drops of Rain
16/05/2024 TR mm Drops of Rain
17/05/2024 TR mm Drops of Rain
19/05/2024 1.4 mm Light Thunderstorm
20/05/2024   Haze; Widespread Dust
21/05/2024   Haze; Widespread Dust

 

May 2024 Compared to the Climate Means

  Climate Mean May 2024 Anomaly
Mean Maximum Temperature 23.9°C 24.1°C  +0.2°C
Mean Minimum Temperature 15.9°C 17.1°C +1.2°C
Mean Temperature 19.9°C 20.6°C +0.7°C
Mean Relative Humidity 74.5% 78.4% +3.9%
Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1015.9hPa 1014.5hPa -1.4hPa
Total Rainfall 9.8 mm 13.7 mm +3.9 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 514.5 mm 271.6 mm -242.9 mm
Total Rain Days 4 days 4 days /
Total Thunderstorm Days 1 day 2 days +1 day
Total Hail Days 0 days 0 days /

 

Warmer in MAY 2024

May was the fifth consecutive month this year to experience air temperatures that were higher than expected by varying degrees. The mean maximum temperature of 24.1°C was 0.2°C warmer than the norm. The mean minimum temperature of 17.1°C exceeded the norm by 1.2°C. Last month’s hottest temperature was of 32.7°C, measured on the 18th. These very warm temperatures were not complemented by bright sunshine and light winds, however. Airborne fine desert sand was present in the skies above the central Mediterranean on a total of 12 days. There were also 4 days with rain and 2 days with thunder. The wind reached Force 5 or stronger on half of all days last month too.

There were four instances with measureable rain last month. The month of May started with a bang, with a thunderstorm lighting up the skies in the predawn hours of the 1st. The wettest day of the month was on the 8th. An episode of steady light to moderate rain produced some 8.5 mm of rain. A sudden upper-level thunderstorm with very little precipitation on the 19th was also a highlight worth-mentioning from last month. There were also several instances of drops of rain mixed with fine dust. Whilst the month of May was wetter than average in parts of the Maltese Islands, including our weather station in Għarb, not the same can be said for the whole archipelago. The mean rainfall for May 2024 stood at 7.3 mm, or slightly above the mean.

Rainfall Totals around the Maltese Islands in May 2024 (and since last September 1st):

Għarb: 10.4 mm (268.3 mm)

Victoria: 10.7 mm (289.9 mm)

Xewkija: 8.0 mm (183.2 mm)

Nadur: 8.2 mm (276.5 mm)

Marsalforn: 7.7 mm (211.6 mm)

Mellieħa: 7.7 mm (225.4 mm)

Buġibba: 8.8 mm (279.4 mm)

Mġarr: 11.3 mm (258.4 mm)

Naxxar: 6.6 mm (282.8 mm)

Mosta: 8.9 mm (277.8 mm)

Dingli: 7.7 mm (266.0 mm)

Msida: 5.0 mm (276.4 mm)

Valletta: 4.6 mm (216.0 mm)

Imqabba: 5.7 mm (266.8 mm)

Birżebbuġa: 4.1 mm (233.9 mm)

Sliema: 4.3 mm (250.9 mm)

Fgura: 4.0 mm (240.6 mm)

NATIONAL MEAN: 7.3 mm (253.2 mm)