August temperatures rise further in Malta

The average air and sea surface temperatures in Malta increased by one centigrade both as compared to the climate norm, during the month of August, according to a press release sent to Business Malta. The average temperature in August went up to 28.2°C and the mean sea surface temperature reached 27.3°C.

The maximum temperature for August was registered at 36°C on the 13th of the month, while the lowest was 21.8°C recorded on 6 August. The brightest days of the month were 18 and 19 August, when the sun shone for a total of 13.2 hours. 

August’s lack of rainfall was one of the main contributors to this increase in average temperature, the Malta International Airport (MLA) says in the press release. Only traces amounts of precipitation and 1.2 hours of sunshine were recorded on 29 August, making it the dullest day of the month. The mean wind speed in August 2019 only reached 6 knots, which is half a knot calmer than the norm. 

Cloud cover averaged at 0.9 oktas — unit used to express the extent of cloud cover —  for August 2019 but was expected to be 1.2 oktas. This contributed to a 19.3-hour increase in sunshine hours from August 2018, when only 312.1 hours of sunshine were recorded. Furthermore, 331.4 total hours of sunshine were recorded in August 2019, still short of the monthly average of 335.3 hours, notes the press release.