Malta is set to experience an unusual bout of weather today, with the peak of a low-pressure system expected between 9am and 3pm, according to Aggornament tat-Temp.

While May rain is not unheard of, the development of a low-pressure system of this strength in the central Mediterranean is uncommon for this time of year.

This storm, forming over Gabes and pushing into the heart of the Mediterranean, is the kind of weather pattern typically expected in winter, not spring. Earlier this year in January, a similar system failed to materialise, making today’s situation all the more remarkable.

Weather models indicate that the core of the system will bypass Malta, with Sicily and southern Italy bracing for the brunt of it - some Italian forecasts even categorising it as a potential cyclone. For Malta, only the outer bands of the storm will reach the islands, bringing the possibility of moderate rainfall and southeasterly winds reaching up to Force 6.

Though not a direct hit, the timing of the peak, from 9am to 3pm, will be important for residents and commuters to note. The situation is fluid, and further monitoring is necessary, especially as the system interacts with an anticyclone over Libya that is steering the storm northward.

Are you enjoying the rain today?