• April’s first week accounted for the month’s wettest day, lowest temperature and strongest wind gust
• Lowest temperature dipped to 8.6°C, while highest reached 24.6°C
• April was sunnier than the climate norm with 270 hours of sunshine clocked

Following a very dry start to the meteorological spring, the second month of the season showered the Maltese Islands with 28.6 mm of rainfall. This total exceeded the norm for April by 9.9 mm of rain.

The first days of April did not bring weather that is generally associated with spring, as instability resulting from a system of low pressure characterised the run-up to Easter. Having yielded 11.6 mm of rainfall, the second day in April was the month’s wettest as well as one of the gloomiest with only 2.3 hours of sunshine recorded. The month’s only thunderstorm hit the islands five days into April.

On the third day, the month’s strongest gust of 40 knots blowing from a Northwest by West direction was measured as wind warnings for the exposed areas of the Maltese Islands were issued by the Meteorological Office. April was windier than the climate norm, having maintained an average wind speed of 10.1 knots rather than the expected 9.5 knots.

April’s lowest temperature dipped to 8.6°C on the seventh day, while the highest reached 24.6°C in the second half of the month. The month was cooler than the climate norm, with the mean air temperature standing at 16.0°C rather than the expected 16.4°C. The mean sea surface temperature, on the other hand, was 0.4°C higher than the climate norm of 16.3°C.

While wintry weather lingered a little longer into April, the month was sunnier than the norm with just over 270 hours of sunshine clocked.

Published on 12.05.23