After a summer-like start to May that saw beaches across Malta and Gozo buzzing with sunbathers and swimmers, the weather is now taking a slightly different turn – and it comes with some dust!

While the warm temperatures are here to stay, peaking at 27°C early in the week and cooling slightly to around 24°C, the skies are expected to remain mostly cloudy. Don’t expect last weekend’s sunshine this week, with conditions ranging from partly cloudy to overcast over the coming days.

Sadly, that’s not all! Friday is expected to bring blood rain to the Maltese Islands. This reddish-hued rain, caused by dust particles mixing with light rainfall, may be great news for local agriculture, but not so much for anyone who's just cleaned their car or windows! In Malta, this kind of weather is known as ‘ċlampu’, a local term describing hazy conditions caused by dust in the air.

While the rain won’t be heavy (just enough to leave some streaks on your car), Friday evening is also expected to bring stronger winds, reaching Force 6 later in the day. So if you’re planning any outdoor activities or boat trips to kick off the weekend, keep an eye on those forecasts.

The good news is that winds are expected to ease up by the weekend, though the cloud cover will likely stick around. Even so, don’t let the lack of sunshine fool you – the UV index remains high, so make sure to apply sunscreen if you’re heading outdoors.

Hoping for bluer skies for the rest of May?