After a long and predominantly dry summer, thunderstorms have made their return to the vicinity of the Maltese Islands, with the first activity recorded on Sunday and Monday night. According to Maltese Islands Weather, the storms remained localised, with activity developing mainly to the southwest and south of the islands.

The weather service is cautioning that similar conditions may continue over the coming days, with showers and thunderstorms potentially developing from time to time. However, this does not mean that rainfall will be widespread or continuous.

At this time of year, thunderstorms can be particularly localised, meaning one area may experience heavy rainfall while locations only a few kilometres away remain completely dry.

The forecast for the week reflects this change in conditions. Tuesday, 15th September, could bring isolated thunderstorms, before sunnier weather takes over on Wednesday, with mainly sunny skies expected on Thursday. Friday and Saturday are forecast to be partly cloudy, while Sunday should be mainly sunny once again.

Temperatures will remain warm, but a drop is expected from recent weeks, with maximum temperatures ranging between 29°C and 30°C and minimum temperatures between 22°C and 23°C. The forecast heat could feel slightly higher, with real-feel temperatures reaching up to 32°C during the week.

Winds will generally remain light to moderate, shifting direction throughout the week.

While the return of thunderstorms may mark a noticeable change after months of dry weather, Maltese Islands Weather stresses that there is currently no reason for alarm or to expect an extreme weather episode.

Instead, residents are simply being reminded that autumn’s more changeable weather has arrived, making it worthwhile to keep a closer eye on the skies and the latest forecasts.

Are you looking forward to this change in weather?