The weather in Malta is strongly influenced by the sea and is typically Mediterranean, similar to that of Italy or Southern Greece. Summers are hot and dry, autumn is warm and occasionally wet, and winter is cool with adequate rainfall.
The temperature is stable, averaging at about 18°C. Winds can be strong and frequent - most common are the cool northwesterly, the dry northeasterly and the hot, humid southeasterly. Humidity levels on the island are consistently high and rarely fall below 40%.
From April to August, it rarely rains in Malta. The beginning of April signals a long period of hot, dry weather. The hottest months are July and August, with daytime temperatures reaching above 30°C and sometimes above 35°C.
The highest temperature ever recorded was 44°C in the shade at Luqa Airport in August 1999. In August and September, the high humidity levels can become quite unpleasant for some.
In spring and autumn, a very hot and dry wind from Africa - a sirocco - is known to bring extremely high temperatures. During the winter the climate is mild and daytime temperatures rarely drop below 10°C, therefore snow never falls in Malta.
