The strong winds that have characterised the weather in Malta and Gozo over the past few days are expected to decrease by tomorrow and improve over the weekend, Malta Weather Service managing director Mark Vella Gera told The Malta Independent yesterday.

The main reason for this sudden increase in wind was low pressure over the Balkan states and high pressure in Africa, he explained.

Mr Vella Gera said low pressure over the Balkan States in transit towards Turkey, combined with a vast anticyclone over the Atlantic and Western Mediterranean was causing a strong north-westerly current over the Maltese Islands.

He said the Malta Weather Services had been forecasting strong winds since Saturday through its website and five-day forecast. On Wednesday the wind reached gale force seven and the wind yesterday varied between force six and seven. Today, the force of the wind is expected to fall to force five and improve further on Saturday and Sunday.

The weather is expected to be mostly sunny, with the highest temperatures reaching 29 degrees Celsius and low temperatures of 21 and 22 degrees Celsius. Wave heights are expected to reach the 1.5 metre mark.

On Wednesday night, the wind reached speeds of more than 66 kilometres an hour.

More information and a five-day weather forecast is available on www.maltaweather.com