Meteorological spring has officially arrived, and while winter isn’t going out with a dramatic finale, it’s certainly loosening its grip.

After last weekend treated the Maltese Islands to beautifully clear, sun-drenched skies, according to Maltese Islands Weather, the first full week of March is shaping up to be a little more muted. Expect an increase in cloud cover as the days go by, with Friday 6th and Sunday 8th March looking set to be the cloudiest. That said, the chance of rain on both days remains relatively low at around 35%, so it’s not quite time to dig out the umbrella just yet.

What will be making a noticeable return, however, is the wind. From Thursday afternoon onwards, winds are expected to pick up, reaching Force 5 to 6 on the Beaufort scale. While this is nowhere near the gale-force blasts that February delivered, it will be breezy enough to ruffle plans, particularly if you’re considering any sea travel over the weekend. At this stage, conditions are not expected to be severe enough to disrupt ferry operations, but it’s always worth keeping an eye on updates if you’ve got crossings booked.

On the bright side, temperatures are holding steady in pleasantly mild territory. Daytime highs are forecast to average around 18°C, while evenings will dip to a cool but comfortable 13°C – a far cry from the winter chill.

Hoping for more sunny days?