If You Think It's Hot, It's About To Get A Whole Lot Hotter This Week
Malta is turning up the heat this week, quite literally. The Malta International Airport Meteorological Office has issued a hot weather warning, valid right through to 6pm on Friday, with temperatures set to stay well into the thirties for the rest of the week.
Officially, daytime highs will sit between 33°C and 34°C, but with the humidity factored in, it’ll feel more like 35°C to 36°C during the afternoon.
Here’s the day-by-day breakdown:
Sunday 5 July, Sunny and hot, feels like 35°C, high of 33°C, low of 23°C, UV index 9
Monday 6 July, Clear skies, another scorcher, feels like 35°C, high of 33°C, low of 23°C, UV index 10
Tuesday 7 July, Sunshine continues, feels like 35°C, high of 33°C, low of 23°C, UV index 9
Wednesday 8 July, The hottest day yet, feels like 36°C, high of 34°C, low of 23°C, UV index 9
Thursday 9 July, Staying fierce, feels like 36°C, high of 34°C, low of 24°C, UV index 10
Friday 10 July, Easing very slightly, feels like 35°C, high of 33°C, low of 24°C, UV index 9
Saturday 11h July, Sunny start to the weekend, feels like 36°C, high of 33°C, low of 24°C, UV index 9
Wednesday and Thursday look set to be the hottest days of the week, with the “feels like” temperature nudging 36°C, so plan accordingly if you’ve got a busy day of sightseeing pencilled in.
Nights won’t offer much of a break either, with temperatures only dropping to between 23°C and 24°C. Expect wall-to-wall sunshine and very high UV levels throughout, with light to moderate winds that won’t do much to cool things down.
If you notice the sky looking a little hazy at some point, that may be the “xlokk”, a hot, humid wind that blows up from North Africa and can make the heat feel even more intense when it sets in.
Għadira
This is all fairly typical for the time of year on the islands. July and August are Malta’s hottest months, and heatwaves like this one are a regular feature of the summer rather than anything unusual, so there’s no need to worry, just plan around it.
A few tips to help you make the most of your holiday in this heat: remember to drink water regularly throughout the day, even if you don’t feel especially thirsty, and try to schedule outdoor sightseeing for the morning or early evening, saving the late-morning to mid-afternoon slot for the beach, a pool, or somewhere air-conditioned.
Wear sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, and reapply sunscreen more often than you think you need to given the UV levels. Keep an eye on children and elderly travellers in particular, as they can be more affected by the heat, and know the signs of heat exhaustion, such as dizziness, headache, nausea or a rapid pulse, so you can get somewhere cool and hydrate straight away if you or someone with you starts to feel unwell.
All in all, it’s a great week for beach days and boat trips, just build your itinerary around the hottest hours and you’ll enjoy Malta’s summer sun without it getting the better of you.
