• Average air and sea temperatures 1°C higher than climatic norm
• Visibility reduced on four occasions due to dust particles and fog
• Month much drier than expected at this time of year

Higher-than-average temperatures and long hours of sunshine made for very pleasant weather last month, certainly delighting couples who had an outdoor wedding planned for May. Good weather was, however, briefly interrupted by two thunderstorms, recorded on the 12th and 13th of the month.

A full 12.9 hours of sunshine on the 31st of May, brought the month to a close on a particularly bright note. Last month was, in fact, sunnier than expected; bathed in over 21 hours of sunshine more than the norm for this time of year. In contrast, meteorological records show that with no sunshine registered, the 14th of May was the dullest day of the month.

Moreover, a mean cloud cover of 2.7 oktas indicates that, in general, scattered clouds were observed at Malta international Airport throughout the month. However, visibility was reduced on four occasions; on the 11th and 12th of May due to dust particles suspended in the atmosphere, and on the 6th and 16th of May due to fog.

May’s average air and sea temperatures were both 1°C higher than the climatic norm of 19.8°C and 18.0°C respectively, prompting many to take their first dip. The lowest minimum temperature – 12.8°C – was recorded on the first of May, while the highest maximum temperature hit 30.8°C on the second Friday on the month. This day was also particularly windy, accounting for a maximum gust blowing at 44 knots.

The month was drier than expected, with a mere 0.6mm of precipitation recorded. Dew observed on three separate days contributed to this amount, which was 7.9mm less than the climatic norm for May.