Malta sees drier-than-average start to autumn

After a wet and stormy August, September kicked off in the meteorological autumn with warmer and drier conditions across the islands.

In a statement, the Meteorological Office reported that the total rainfall for the month stood at 37.8 mm, falling 21.4 mm short of the climatic norm, with the wettest day recorded on 23 September when 11.8 mm of rain fell in a matter of hours. 

That day was also the dullest of the month, with less than an hour of sunshine. Unusually, no lightning storms occurred during the month, compared to the average of four.

Fog formed on two days due to high humidity, calm conditions, and clear skies. The average air temperature was 25.5°C, slightly higher than the 24.9°C norm for September. The hottest day was 5 September, with a peak of 34.2°C, while the lowest temperature of 18.1°C was recorded on 15 September. The sea surface temperature was also above average, reaching 27.2°C.

September saw slightly windier conditions than usual, with an average wind speed of 8.4 knots and the strongest gust, recorded on 9 September, reaching 38 knots from the west-southwest.