Spring experienced below-average rainfall with a total of 50 mm measured throughout the season, making it drier than usual. The season was characterized by nearly 761 hours of sunshine, providing ample sunny days. The highest air temperature peaked at 27.3°C, while the lowest was recorded in March at 7.9°C.
May marked the end of meteorological spring with 8.2 mm more rainfall than the monthly norm of 10.2 mm. However, the combined above-average rainfall of May and April, which recorded 28.6 mm, did not compensate for March’s meager 3.0 mm, resulting in the season falling short of the expected rainfall quota.
Unstable weather caused by persistent low-pressure systems led to three thundery days and 14 rainy days throughout spring, extending into May. While May had the highest number of rainy days, April accounted for the wettest day of spring when 17.8 mm of rainfall, nearly equal to the average rainfall for an entire April, descended upon the Maltese Islands.
The Maltese Islands enjoyed a significant amount of sunshine during the season, with almost 761 hours recorded. While March and April were considerably sunnier than their respective climate norms, May experienced a gloomier spring month than expected, with only 236.8 hours of sunshine. This can be partially explained by May’s mean cloud cover of 4.0 oktas, surpassing the norm of 3.0 oktas.
May exhibited unseasonal weather, but it also recorded the highest air temperature of the season at 27.3°C. In contrast, March marked the lowest minimum temperature at 7.9°C. When considering the mean temperatures for each spring month, March was warmer than average, April was cooler, and May maintained an average air temperature in line with expectations.
As spring progressed, the sea temperature increased by 2.2°C between March and May, reaching 18.4°C in the latter month. May’s average sea surface temperature aligned with the monthly norm, while March and April both surpassed their respective norms.
Throughout the season, the Meteorological Office issued 43 wind warnings to the public, with 20 of them issued in May. May was notably windier than usual, maintaining an average wind speed of 10.1 knots instead of the expected 8.8 knots. The strongest gust, blowing at 43 knots from the Southeast, was recorded thirteen days into May.
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