At an average of 31.5 °C, daytime temperatures last month were only slightly warmer than usual for the time of year, according to statistics published by the Meteorological Office at Malta International Airport.

Nights are 1.1°C degrees warmer than the 30-year mean registered so far – at 22.5°C. This is quite unusual, and has only occurred on another 10 occasions in the Meteorological Office’s 84-year history. Three of these warm July nights have occurred in the past 20 years.

The warmest day last month was 3 July, when the thermometer reached 34.1°C. The highest July temperature recorded by the Meteorological Office was 42.7°C on 9 July 1988.

The night with the lowest temperature last month was 13 July, when 20.6°C was registered at around dawn. The lowest night-time July temperature ever recorded was 15.5°C on 16 July 1980.

The average sea surface temperature last month was 26.3°C, almost two degrees higher than normal. Since 1978, only July 2003 was warmer.

Cold air entered into the upper reaches of the atmosphere of the central Mediterranean early in the month, giving rise to sea breezes during the day and preventing the temperatures from rising to unbearable levels.

Throughout last month, the wind was extremely light, with an average speed of five knots (9.3 km per hour). Since 1947, only three other Julys had lighter winds – those of 1956, 1963 and 2003.

The most frequent wind direction was from the west-northwest, and the strongest gust was 25 knots (46 kilometres per hour) from a northwesterly direction, on 30 July.

During July, there was an average of 11 hours and 42 minutes of bright sunshine. The brightest day was 3 July, with 12 hours and 54 minutes of sunshine and the dullest was 9 July, with just eight hours and 12 minutes.

The Malta International Airport Meteorological Office has urged the public to take heed of the UV Index forecasts, especially since these are reaching very dangerous levels.

They advise the public to avoid bright sunshine, and also to apply adequate sunscreen protection, especially between 11am and 4pm.

The World Health Organisation recommends that everyone follows sun safety practices when the UV Index is three or higher.

The Meteorological Office of Malta International Airport, Malta’s National Meteorological Service is the official provider of weather forecasts, reports and warnings to the community. It has records dating from 1947 at the airport and from 1922 at Pieta and Valletta.

More information is available on www.maltairport.com/weather.