• July temperature ranged between 21.5°C and 38°C
• 20 July days recorded temperatures which were higher than the norm
• July’s maximum wind gust was of 37 knots

JULY WEATHER ROUND-UP

A maximum air temperature of 38°C reached on the last day of July brought the hotter-than-average and completely dry summer month to a close.

The air temperature on 20 days in July, in fact, surpassed the climate norm of 31.6°C, with the mean maximum temperature for the month standing at 33°C. Averaging at 27.1°C, on the other hand, the sea surface temperature was 2.4°C higher than the norm.

Northwesterly winds brought some respite from the hot July weather. The 18^th of July was the month’s windiest day, with the Meteorological Office recording a maximum gust of 37 knots blowing from a northwest by west direction and a pleasant maximum air temperature of 28.2°C.

A week later, the month’s lowest temperature was recorded at 21.5°C during a weekend characterised by light to moderate northwesterly winds.

July days were brightened by 364.7 hours of sunshine, which total was only slightly above the sunshine quota for the month of 364.1 hours. The islands basked in 13 hours of sunshine on 3^rd July, which was the month’s sunniest day.

The mean cloud cover for the month stood at 0.5 oktas, which is lower than the expected 0.9 oktas.

WEATHER OUTLOOK

Hot and sunny weather is being forecast by the Meteorological Office for today and Sunday. The maximum air temperature is expected to be lower than the temperatures recorded at the beginning of the week, but is forecast to reach 34°C, and will thus still be above average for the month of August.

August days are generally associated with l-għerejjex ta’ Santa Marija. These are huge convective clouds, known as Cumulus congestus, which form when a mixture of ideal meteorological conditions, including sufficient air moisture, light winds, and cold pools, are present.

Due to the persistent presence of a dry airmass over the Mediterranean and the hot weather, the ideal conditions are not present for għerejjex to be able to develop over the coming days.

Published on: 14.08.2021