In a stark sign of shifting weather patterns, October 2024 became the third driest October on record in Malta, with only 4.2 mm of rainfall reported by the Meteorological Office.
This figure falls significantly short of the month’s usual 77.8 mm, illustrating an ongoing trend of unusually dry autumn months. October 2023, by comparison, holds the record for the driest October, having recorded just 0.2 mm of rainfall.
This year, 71% of the month’s rainfall occurred within a single 24-hour period toward the end of October, bringing 3.0 mm of rain. The month also saw three thunderstorms across the Maltese Islands, below the October average of five.
The lack of rainfall accompanied a warm October, with average temperatures reaching 22.5°C–nearly one degree above the climate norm. The month’s highest temperature, 29.9°C, was recorded on 9th October, while the coolest night on record dropped to 16.2°C on 30th October. For comparison, October’s historical extremes include the 34.5°C peak measured in 1999 and a chilling 8°C minimum set in 1978.
Despite the dry spell, October 2024 was brighter than usual, with an impressive 227.3 hours of sunshine. The sunniest day was 1st October, which saw 10.9 hours of sunshine, while 19th October stood out as the dullest with less than one hour of sunlight.
Wind patterns largely adhered to seasonal expectations, with the month’s strongest gust recorded at 41 knots from a south-by-westerly direction on 19th October.
As Malta’s weather records continue to evolve, the dry, sunny October of 2024 joins a growing list of exceptional climate phenomena, highlighting shifts that could shape the island’s climate in years to come.
News Editor
Journalist and Newscaster
Leave a Reply