Meteorological Summer To End With Second Heat Wave

Malta is set to experience its second heatwave of the summer, with temperatures expected to climb to and even exceed 38°C between Friday and Sunday, around 6°C above the August average.

The Meteorological Office has issued an Orange Weather Warning due to the intense heat and urged the public to follow advice from the health authorities, take the necessary precautions and pay particular attention to children and vulnerable people.

According to the Meteorological Office, the heatwave is being caused by an African anticyclone that has spread across the Western and Central Mediterranean.

The weather system is being maintained by an upper atmospheric pattern known as an Omega Block, which is expected to weaken early next week, allowing cooler conditions to return.

Despite the high temperatures, a layer of airborne dust originating in western Algeria has limited the amount of direct sunlight reaching the islands over recent days.

The dust helped keep Thursday's maximum temperature at 34.2°C, with forecasters noting that temperatures would likely have been significantly higher without it.

The Meteorological Office warned that humidity will make conditions feel much hotter than the recorded air temperature.

With sea surface temperatures currently at 30°C, around 3°C above the seasonal average, the combination of warm seas and southerly winds could push the "feels like" temperature close to 46°C.

Forecasters expect the heatwave to end on Monday, when maximum temperatures are forecast to drop by around 4°C. Temperatures will remain above 30°C throughout next week, although slightly increased cloud cover should provide some relief.

The office also noted that August has remained completely dry, with the last rainfall recorded at the Ħal Luqa weather station on 16 May.

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