Air Temperature
| Highest Maximum | 28.4°C | 27th |
| Lowest Maximum | 23.0°C | 29th |
| Highest Minimum | 21.9°C | 1st |
| Lowest Minimum | 14.4°C | 22nd |
| Mean Maximum | 25.3°C |
| Mean Minimum | 17.9°C |
| Mean | 21.6°C |
Relative Humidity
| Highest Relative Humidity | 95% | 28th |
| Lowest Relative Humidity | 43% | 26th |
| Mean Relative Humidity | 80.0% |
Wind
| Highest Gust | 46.7km/h | 10th |
| Mean Wind Speed | 6.4km/h |
| Most Frequent Wind Direction | East Northeast |
Atmospheric Pressure
| Highest Atmospheric Pressure | 1028.4hPa | 17th |
| Lowest Atmospheric Pressure | 1011.9hPa | 1st |
| Mean Atmospheric Pressure | 1022.0hPa |
Precipitation
| Total Rainfall During October 2022 | 27.7 mm |
| Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 | 114.9 mm |
| Highest 24 Hour Total | 27.7 mm | 10th |
| Rain Days | 1 |
| Thunderstorm Days | 1 |
| Hail Days | 1 |
Rainfall Events
| 10/10/2022 | 27.7 mm | Thunderstorm with Hail |
October 2022 Compared to the Climate Means
| Climate Mean | October 2022 | Anomaly | |
| Mean Maximum Temperature | 24.8°C | 25.3°C | +0.5°C |
| Mean Minimum Temperature | 17.9°C | 17.9°C | Nil |
| Mean Temperature | 21.4°C | 21.6°C | +0.2°C |
| Mean Relative Humidity | 78% | 80.0% | +2.0% |
| Mean Atmospheric Pressure | 1017.4hPa | 1022.0hPa | +4.6hPa |
| Total Rainfall | 83.3 mm | 27.7 mm | -55.6 mm |
| Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 | 138.8 mm | 114.9 mm | -23.9 mm |
| Total Rain Days | 10 days | 1 day | -9 days |
| Total Thunderstorm Days | 5 days | 1 day | -4 days |
| Total Hail Days | 1 day | 1 day | Nil |
DRY, WARM and CALM in OCTOBER 2022
With its many days of uninterrupted bright sunshine, continuous days with light and variable winds, and generally warm maximum temperatures, October 2022 didn’t feel like autumn at all.
The month was warmer than the climate norm overall. The mean maximum temperature of 25.3°C surpassed the average by half a degree. Mean minimum temperatures conformed with the climatic norm of 17.9°C. With a maximum temperature of 28.4°C, the 27th was October 2022’s warmest day. The mercury hovered close to the 30°C in certain localities on that day. The coolest day of the month was to be registered a mere 48 hours later, however, with the maximum temperature on the 29th rising to 23°C. Weather during the second half of October was shaped by an anticyclone that spanned much of the Mediterranean region. Anticyclonic conditions promote clear and calm conditions. This allows heat to be lost from the surface of the Earth to space by radiation, allowing temperatures to fall steady overnight. Temperatures typically reach the minimum just before dawn, after a night of cooling. Since cold air sinks, and due to the moderating effect of the sea, the coldest spots are inland low-lying plains and valleys. The freshest night was that of the 22nd, with a minimum temperature of 14.4°C.
October 2022 was also much drier than usual. The 27.7 mm of precipitation measured by the rain gauage at our weather station fell 55.6 mm short of the rainfall expected over the course of a typical October. To aggravate matters, this precipitation was produced by a single heavy thunderstorm at around lunchtime on the 10th. This rainfall event was to be the sole rain day last month. The thunderstorm on the 10th also accounted for the highest wind gust measured last month. This clocked in at 46.7km/h from a Northerly direction.
October 2022 will also be remembered for its unprecedented episodes of calm. Wind in the Maltese Islands is very common because it is an island in the middle of the mid-latitude depressions’ path and in a band of pressure difference. On average, 92% of all days experience winds of at least Force 2. This means that only 25 days a year are windless. For a total of 15 consecutive days, from the 16th through to the 30th (both days included), the wind speed averaged 1.7km/h (Force 1). No wind gusts were reported for days on end, with the highest wind speed registered then being of only 17.7km/h (Force 3). Strong wind events were largely absent. The wind direction varied widely, with the East Northeast direction coming out on top in the end.
Not surprisingly, the value for mean atmospheric pressure exceeded the October norm by a fair amount. The 1022.0hPa value was not only 4.6hPa more stable than normal, but also one of the highest for any October.
Rainfall Totals around the Maltese Islands in October 2022 (and since last September 1st):
Għarb: 27.7 mm (114.9 mm)
Victoria: 18.9 mm (92.8 mm)
Xewkija: 19.0 mm (95.0 mm)
Nadur: 14.7 mm (99.7 mm)
Marsalforn: 33.5 mm (114.0 mm)
Mellieħa: 18.0 mm (56.9 mm)
Buġibba: 19.3 mm (84.6 mm)
Mġarr: 15.8 mm (66.6 mm)
Naxxar: 18.5 mm (84.5 mm)
Mosta: 18.3 mm (83.0 mm)
Dingli: 17.3 mm (99.9 mm)
Msida: 24.6 mm (99.4 mm)
Valletta: 19.3 mm (69.9 mm)
Imqabba: 18.8 mm (105.5 mm)
Żabbar: 22.1 mm (100.9 mm)
Birżebbuġa: 16.6 mm (76.0 mm)
Sliema: 19.5 mm (85.3 mm)
NATIONAL MEAN: 20.1 mm (89.9 mm)