> Average air temperature over one degree higher than the norm
> Driest February on record, recording 0.6mm of rain
> A total of 238.7 sunshine hours recorded throughout the month

Warm, sunny weather returned to the Maltese islands in February, as the air temperature averaged at 13.7°C, surpassing the climate norm by over one degree. In stark contrast to last February, when the mean air temperature stood at 8.7°C, a milder month saw air temperatures peak at 19.6°C on Wednesday 12th and drop to a low of 5.4°C on the 7th of the month. While still standing at a cool 16.4°C, February’s mean sea surface temperature was also 1.4°C higher than the climate norm.

Receiving only 0.6mm of rain on the 5th of February, the second month of the year fell short of reaching the monthly average of 56.9mm of precipitation. On the same day, the Meteorological Office also reported one occurrence of hail at Malta International Airport. These results led February 2020 to become the driest on record since 1923. Wind maintained a mean speed of 10.4 knots.

At 2.5 oktas, the month’s mean cloud cover was lighter than the expected 4.1 oktas, resulting in a brighter-than-expected February. The month clocked up a total of 238.7 hours of bright sunshine, with daily sunshine hours averaging at 8.2 hours; almost two hours over the climate norm. Ending on a particularly sunny note, the last Sunday in February enjoyed a total of 10.4 hours, while only 2.8 hours of sunshine were recorded on the dullest day of the month, February 3rd.