May usually marks the gentle transition from spring to summer in Malta, but this year, the weather had other plans. According to the Meteorological Office, May brought an unexpected deluge, with rainfall exceeding the monthly norm by 26.3mm.

After a relatively calm and dry April, May’s weather turned turbulent as a low-pressure system developed over Algeria, bringing unstable conditions to the central Mediterranean. The result was a mid-month storm that soaked the islands, nourished the landscape, and delivered the vast majority of the month’s rainfall in one hit.

In total, 36.6mm of rain was recorded in May – a significant increase over the seasonal average. Almost all of it fell on May 15th, which also turned out to be the dullest day of the month with just one hour of sunshine. The same day saw the strongest gust of wind, reaching 35 knots from the south-southeast, part of a month that was generally breezier than usual with an average wind speed of 9.3 knots.

Despite the downpours, May was still warmer than average. The monthly mean temperature was 21.6°C, around 1.6°C higher than expected. The highest temperature was recorded on May 5th at 28.7°C, while the coolest night dropped to 15.1°C just two days earlier.

With three of the year’s first five months (February, March, and May) now officially wetter than average, it’s clear that 2025’s weather patterns have been full of surprises.

As Malta steps into its characteristically dry summer season, the unseasonal May rainfall may just prove to be a much-needed drink for the island’s greenery. According to Maltese Islands Weather, it seems like it’s going to need it, as summer 2025 ‘is expected to be much hotter than average with frequent heat waves, a lack of days of relief with strong Northwesterly winds and an extremely warm sea’ – ouch! Make sure to get those ACs in working order before the heatwaves start to hit.

Are you missing May’s rain or looking forward to summer?