Last month’s average air temperature of 14.1°C exceeded the climate norm by 0.3°C. The average temperature in the first part of the month – from the 1st to the 17th – was well above the norm of 13.8°C. This was followed by a drop in air temperature during the latter part of the month. Between the 18th and 31st the average temperature registered a downward trend.

The highest temperature recorded last month was 20.1°C on the 1st of the month. The highest ever recorded temperature in December since 1947 was on 5 December, 1963 when it reached 24.3°C. The lowest temperature last December was 6.6°C and this was recorded on 20 December. The coolest December night was on 22 December, 1967 with a low of 3.6°C.

The average sea surface temperature was 18.6°C. This is 1.5°C higher than the average value for December. The mean relative humidity last month was 76% which is lower than the 30-year mean climate average of 80%.

Last month, 72.8mm of rainfall was recorded at Malta International Airport, which is less than the climate norm of 112.2mm. There were thunderstorms on three days: The 21st, 29th and 30th . The norm thunderstorm days for December is five days. Last month we had an average of five hours and 54 minutes of sunshine a day, which is 54 minutes more than the December norm. 

The wind speed in December, averaging 9.03 knots was less than expected during a typical December. For 66% of the time it was in the light speed bracket (1-10 knots). The Northwest by West was the most frequent direction. On 21 December a maximum wind gust of 41 knots was recorded from the Southwest by West direction. There were 37 occasions in eight days when the wind gust reached or exceeded the 34kt threshold. The highest wind gust measured by the Malta Airport MetOffice during the month of December since 1947 was 68 knots, recorded on 15 December, 1981.