Air Temperature

Highest Maximum 29.8°C 29th
Lowest Maximum 19.6°C 2nd
Highest Minimum 20.6°C 30th
Lowest Minimum 9.4°C 3rd

 

Mean Maximum 23.5°C
Mean Minimum 16.3°C
Mean 19.9°C

 

Relative Humidity

Highest Relative Humidity 92% Numerous days
Lowest Relative Humidity 41% 31st

 

Mean Relative Humidity 75.8%

 

Wind

Highest Gust 49.9km/h 16th

 

Days with Force 5 (29 – 38kph) 5 days
Days with Force 6 (39 – 49kph) 5 days
Days with Force 7 (50 – 61kph) 0 days
Days with Force 8 (62 – 74kph) 0 days
Days with Force 9 (75 – 88kph) 0 days
Days with Force 10+ (89kph+) 0 days

 

Mean Wind Speed 10.5km/h
Most Frequent Wind Direction Northwest

 

Atmospheric Pressure

Highest Atmospheric Pressure 1025.8hPa 25th
Lowest Atmospheric Pressure 1005.6hPa 16th

 

Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1017.1hPa

 

Precipitation

Total Rainfall During May2026 9.2 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 545.5 mm

 

Highest 24 Hour Total 4.6 mm 16th

 

Rain Days 4 days
Thunderstorm Days 3 days
Hail Days 0 days

 

Rainfall Events

08/05/2026 0.3 mm Isolated Light Rain
15/05/2026 0.4 mm Isolated Light Rain; Distant Thunder
16/05/2026 4.6 mm Morning Isolated Thunderstorm
17/05/2026 3.9 mm Morning Isolated Thunderstorm

 

May 2026 Compared to the Climate Means

  Climate Mean May2026 Anomaly
Mean Maximum Temperature 23.9°C 23.5°C  -0.4°C
Mean Minimum Temperature 15.9°C 16.3°C +0.4°C
Mean Temperature 19.9°C 19.9°C /
Mean Relative Humidity 74.5% 75.8% +1.3%
Mean Atmospheric Pressure 1015.9hPa 1017.1hPa +1.2hPa
Total Rainfall 15.0 mm 9.2 mm -5.8 mm
Total Rainfall Since Last 01/09 519.8 mm 545.5 mm +25.7 mm
Total Rain Days 6 days 4 days -2 days
Total Thunderstorm Days 1 day 3 days +2 days
Total Hail Days 0 days 0 days /

 

Thunder before Summer: May 2026 Ends Spring on an Unsettled Note

May 2026 marked the final month of meteorological spring and delivered a fascinating blend of increasingly summer-like conditions punctuated by a burst of late-season thunderstorm activity. While temperatures overall aligned closely with long-term averages, the month was drier than normal and increasingly dominated by stable anticyclonic conditions, offering some of the clearest indications yet that the transition toward summer was underway.

The mean air temperature reached 19.9°C, exactly matching the climatological average. However, this apparent normality masked a subtle contrast between slightly cooler daytime temperatures and milder nights. The mean maximum temperature stood at 23.5°C, 0.4°C below average, while the mean minimum temperature reached 16.3°C, 0.4°C above normal. The warmest day of the month occurred on the 29th when temperatures climbed to 29.8°C, narrowly missing the 30°C mark and providing a brief taste of the summer heat to come. Conversely, the coolest night was recorded on the 3rd, when temperatures fell to 9.4°C, highlighting the lingering influence of springtime air masses during the first part of the month.

Humidity averaged 75.8%, slightly above normal but continuing the gradual downward trend observed since winter. Relative humidity fell as low as 41% on the 31st, reflecting the arrival of increasingly dry and warm air masses toward the end of the month.

Atmospheric pressure averaged 1017.1 hPa, 1.2 hPa above the climatological mean and the highest monthly average recorded so far in 2026. This shift marks a notable departure from the persistently below-average pressure observed during much of the preceding winter and spring, indicating a strengthening influence of anticyclonic conditions across the central Mediterranean. Pressure ranged from 1005.6 hPa on the 16th to 1025.8 hPa on the 25th.

Wind conditions remained relatively subdued. The mean wind speed was 10.5 km/h, while the northwesterly wind became the dominant direction, a classic warm-season signal across the Maltese Islands. Although ten days recorded Force 5 or stronger winds, no Force 7 or stronger events occurred during the month. The highest gust reached 49.9 km/h on the 16th.

Rainfall was scarce, with only 9.2 mm measured during the month – 5.8 mm below average. Just four rain days were recorded, two fewer than normal, reinforcing the increasingly dry character of late spring. Nevertheless, almost all the month’s rainfall occurred during a brief unsettled spell between the 15th and 17th.

Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of May was the occurrence of three thunderstorm days, two above the climatological average despite the overall lack of rainfall. On the 16th and 17th, isolated thunderstorms developed over or near the islands, producing 4.6 mm and 3.9 mm of rainfall respectively. These storms were driven by localised instability associated with cold air aloft interacting with increasingly warm surface conditions-— a classic late-spring convective setup.

Rainfall distribution was remarkably uniform and generally low across the archipelago. Kerċem recorded 9.2 mm, the highest total among the observing stations, while several localities in Malta received less than 5 mm. The national mean stood at just 5.2 mm, highlighting how limited precipitation was across the islands.

Despite the dry conditions, cumulative rainfall since 1 September reached 545.5 mm, maintaining a healthy 25.7 mm surplus above average by the end of May. The substantial rainfall accumulated earlier in the hydrological year continued to offset the deficits observed during late spring.

Rainfall Totals around the Maltese Islands in May2026 (and since last September 1st):

Kerċem: 9.2 mm (545.5 mm)

Victoria: 8.7 mm (547.3 mm)

Marsalforn: 7.7 mm (494.3 mm)

Xewkija: 5.2 mm (470.3 mm)

Nadur: 7.2 mm (496.1 mm)

Għajnsielem: 6.1 mm (500.9 mm)

Mellieħa: 4.3 mm (367.5 mm)

Buġibba: 2.1 mm (356.9 mm)

Mġarr: 5.2 mm (502.7 mm)

Naxxar: 5.4 mm (427.7 mm)

Mosta: 3.8 mm (392.6 mm)

Dingli: 5.1 mm (544.7 mm)

Pembroke: 5.2 mm (433.9 mm)

Msida: 4.6 mm (456.1 mm)

Sliema: 5.6 mm (449.6 mm)

Valletta: 4.4 mm (406.0 mm)

Fgura: 4.6 mm (462.7 mm)

Żejtun: 4.3 mm (411.3 mm)

Żabbar: 3.8 mm (381.2 mm)

Imqabba: 2.0 mm (546.6 mm)

Siġġiewi: 3.1 mm (535.8 mm)

Żurrieq: 3.7 mm (543.3 mm)

Marsaxlokk: 4.4 mm (379.2 mm)

NATIONAL MEAN: 5.2 mm (461.2 mm)