Some like it hot (title of the ancient Marilyn Monroe movie). And they come to Malta. In 2007, International Living.com voted Malta the nation with the best climate in the world. Interestingly, I have been there at the times when it’s not perfect-in the very early spring when it was windy and rainy, and in August when it’s been high 90’s and humid.
But, I have to say that the humidity to me did not feel as bad as or any worse than it does in the Northeast.
The most wonderful thing about this climate is that you get used to it. It’s not like New England where it can be 90 one day and literally drop 35 degrees the next to 55. When it gets hot, it stays hot-and you sort of get used to it.
The best time is in the evenings when you can walk out the door with never having to worry about bringing a sweater. At night, it’s always balmy.
As I’m planning to move to Malta, hopefully, in the fall, I get asked a lot of questions about the climate. Here they are:
Questions about the Maltese climate:
1. Does it ever snow in Malta?
Answer: No.
2. Is it humid in Malta?
Answer: Yes, it can get quite humid because Malta is an island. The humidity–and how hot it feels–is the worst in July and August.
3. is the heat bearable?
Answer: Apparently yes. The Maltese have been bearing it for thousands of years. I have felt the heat and humidity in Boston. I don’t think it feels worse in Malta. And if it does, it’s better to feel hot and humid in the Mediterranean than in Kenmore Square.
4. How hot does it get?
Answer: It can get over 95 degrees F (35 degrees Celsius) in the summer months. The highest recorded temperature ever was in August, 1999, when the temperature shot up to 111 degrees F. in the shade at Luqa Airport in Malta. That’s 44 degrees C. Whenever you hear that the temperature in Malta approaches 40 degrees C., you know it’s going to be very, very, hot.
5. Do the Maltese complain about the heat?
Answer: Yes. A lot.
6. How much rain does Malta get?
Answer: A lot less than New England. The average rainfall in Malta is relatively low–about (600 mm) 24 inches. The dry season is long. Most of the rain falls from September to January. During this time–the autumn and the winter–there are a lot of thunderstorms which produce the rain.
7. How much sunshine does Malta get?
Answer: A lot more than New England. In midwinter, Malta gets an average of five to six hours of sunshine. That’s in the winter. And in the summer, Malta gets over 12 hours of sunshine a day. That’s more than New England gets in a year. I’m not kidding. But the sun is very strong, very hot and you absolutely need sunscreen every single day (and deodorant, too).
8. What’s the winter like in Malta?
Answer: Glad you asked. Daytime winter temperatures almost never fall below 50 degrees F. (10 degrees C.) in the winter. That’s right–almost never below 50 degrees F. New Englanders, need I say more? It does get windy, though. There can be strong gale winds for three days at a time, bringing extreme stormy weather. Sometimes there is flooding in some of the streets close to the sea. But, the sun still shines. Daytime temperatures are usually 59 degrees F. (15 degrees C.0 or above. Sometimes even 68 degrees F. (20 degrees C.)
So, what do you think? Could you take climate like this?
Resources:
MaltaWeather.com.
Article from International Living.com
The author’s own blog An-American-in-Malta.com.
