Record-breaking pressure in Malta & Gozo could cause locals to suffer from this condition
Heads up, folks! Things are about to get weird. According to local weather site Maltese Islands Weather, high atmospheric pressure is on the horizon, and while many of us are thinking, ‘so, what?’ we might need to be a little more cautious…
But first, a little explanation. The weather site has reported that the past two months have been “unusually dry” due to “an atmospheric pressure pattern called the Arctic Oscillation, which cirlces the high Northern Hemisphere. Its lower edge is known as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)” and together “they influence the path and strength of the jet stream.” The jet stream is “a very strong air current that flows west to east across the northern hemisphere, altering temperature and precipitation.”
“A large part of Europe will experience a pressure reading of between 1030hPa and 1045hPa. Some regions could see up to 1050hPa as well. These readings are record-breaking for many regions,” Maltese Islands Weather reports. “Mean sea-level pressure over the Maltese Islands will be of 1036hPa at its highest. This would come extremely close to breaking the record. The highest pressure ever measured by our weather station in Għarb was of 1035.8hPa on 9th January 2015.”
The weather site warns that this high pressure could affect many people, causing them to suffer from an uncomfortable condition: dreaded ear popping. “This extremely high atmospheric pressure may cause the most sensitive of us to experience an odd sensation of ear popping, especially on Tuesday 21/01. Ear popping is something we normally associate with being on an aeroplane.”
This is all become of a change in atmospheric pressure which can be felt in the ears. “The inner ear is filled with fluid, and that fluid is sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure. The pressure inside your ears takes time to acclimatise. When atmospheric pressure varies rapidly, you may feel a sensation of fullness or popping in the ears, as the pressure inside your ears acclimatises.” We're hoping sooner rather than later!
You’ve been warned!