After a brief respite of sunshine over the weekend, Malta is now bracing for intense weather as a gale warning sweeps the islands. The warning, issued late last night, is expected to remain in place until late tomorrow evening, Christmas Eve.

According to Maltese Islands Weather, a cold front driven by a powerful low-pressure system over the Adriatic Sea is making its way across the central Mediterranean. This system is bringing gale-force winds from the West Northwest to Northwest, peaking on Monday with speeds reaching Force 8 to 9 and even stronger gusts in exposed areas.

The sea will bear the brunt of the gale, with wave heights reaching up to 6 metres, affecting most coastal zones around Malta and Gozo. Caution is advised for anyone near the coast or planning sea travel during this period.

The winds are expected to ease late Monday evening, reducing to Force 6 to 7 on Christmas Eve, and further calming to Force 4 to 5 by Christmas morning. However, the sea swell is likely to persist longer, so disruptions to sea travel may continue into the week.

Temperatures will also take a sharp dive, with tonight’s real feel dropping to a frosty 3°C! Nights throughout the week will remain bitterly cold, with minimum real feel temperatures staying below 10°C. Isolated showers are expected everyday too, so it definitely won't be a dry Christmas this year!

Make sure to bundle up, especially if you have outdoor plans or nighttime festivities in store.

Stay warm and stay safe during this festive yet frosty weather!