It's the middle of summer and it is raining as a thunderstorm is hitting various parts of the island, particularly in the south.

People at the beach were surprised to see black clouds approaching fast as the rains started to pour. Rain is reported in Marsascala, Birzebbuga, St Julian's, Sliema, Valletta and the Three Cities.

In places where feasts are being celebrated, enthusiasts had to rush to cover statues so that they will not be damaged, although the speed with which the storm cam caught many unawares.

Rain in August is not uncommon, but a storm such as the one experienced today is rare.

(Photo Stephanie Camilleri)

In a statement, The Meteorological Office said the storm was formed after heavy weather was moving to the East of Malta. Due to the warm sea temperatures being 29 degrees celsius, which is above the norm for August, thundery clouds were formed and expanded rapidly over the Maltese Islands. The weather is moving Westerly and shall continue with heavy thunderstorms and moderate to heavy rainfall in some parts of the Island. Civil protection are updated about the storm, the Met Office said.

Litter which accumulated in our roads over the dry weeks we have had was carried away with the waters while culverts which have not been cleaned ended up overflowing as the water was blocked by the debris.

And the Santa Marija gharajjex will likely live up to their name next week too, according to weather forecasts.

The gharajjex are downpours in midsummer that are associated with the feast of the Assumption, celebrated on 15 August.

While welcome to water our ever-dirty roads and give farmers a helping hand in their work, it will not mean that the stifling heat that has characterised this month will go away.

Temperatures will still remain in the mid-30s and normally the rain will only serve to increase the humidity, which makes the heat more unbearable.

The Meteorological Office at Luqa is predicting the possibility of showers on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the Malta weather page on Facebook is predicting rain on Monday and Tuesday.

We’ll see how it goes. On Monday, rain was reported on the east coast of Malta, but the showers lasted only a few minutes.