Where shade is scarce and the nights stay warm
Driving through Gozo, our car dashboard showed a temperature of 40.1°C. Inside, the air conditioning was struggling, so we decided a dip in the Inland Sea was the only remedy for our overheating bodies.
That was over five years ago, and what is a regular feature of an Australian summer was a totally unexpected experience in Malta. Yet again, in 2025, Malta is experiencing an extreme summer. One of Malta’s attractions is its 300 days of sunshine each year, but that reputation is surely being tested by the relentless heat.
Being in the middle of the Mediterranean, at the crossroads of cultures and trade, has always given Malta strategic importance. But it also places the islands at the meeting point of weather systems, leading to extreme conditions. Malta is sweltering as southern Europe endures a severe heatwave.
June’s mild beginning quickly turned into a long, hot stretch, leaving Malta and Gozo under intense heat that made living, working, and visiting particularly challenging. During June the maximum temperature reached 41.5°C, well above average. While other countries are experiencing similar conditions Malta is especially exposed. The terrain, generally low-lying and flat, offers little relief from the heat, with no high mountains or large inland bodies of water to cool the air. Normally, the Mediterranean Sea acts as a moderating influence, but in June its surface temperatures surged past 30°C in some areas, unusual for so early in the season. This warming has continued, and the sea is now experiencing a marine heatwave, contributing to Malta’s extreme conditions.
Although the islands are surrounded by sea, Malta’s weather is also affected by the Atlas Mountains to the west, Sicily to the north, and the desert to the south. A North African high-pressure system, combined with a jet stream pulling hot Saharan air northward, has created stable, sunny, and very hot weather. The result is persistent heatwaves and above-average temperatures across the region, with Malta particularly exposed.
During July residents endured six days above 35°C, with the mercury again topping 40°C. While measured temperatures remained in the mid-30s, the high humidity and minimal wind meant the ‘real feel’ climbed closer to 40°C.
The trend continues into August, only interrupted by a sudden storm causing flash flooding in several parts of Malta. As anyone who has lived there knows, flash floods capable of sweeping cars away, are not typical summer events.
A persistent high-pressure ridge over the Western and Central Mediterranean is expected to continue the heatwave conditions. It will be the time to enjoy a dip in the sea, a chilly Cisk, a cold Kinnie or a crisp cool white wine. And perhaps crank up the AC!
