The Meteorological Office has advised that the coming days are expected to be characterised by strong northwesterly winds, which may at times reach gale force, particularly over the weekend.
Westerly to northwesterly winds began strengthening on Wednesday, which has prompted the Meteorological Office to issue a warning, especially for coastal areas where winds are expected to be strongest. This warning is likely to be renewed in the coming days.
The Met Office said that the unsettled weather conditions are being caused by a low-pressure system that has developed over southern Italy and is gradually moving eastwards across the Mediterranean.
Tomorrow, Thursday, westerly-northwesterly winds are expected to strengthen further, reaching Force 6 to 7. Isolated showers are also forecast throughout the day, the Met Office said.
It advised that sunny intervals are expected to return between Friday and Saturday; however, winds will remain strong. On Friday, the winds are forecast to reach Force 5 to 6 from the west-southwest, strengthening further on Saturday, when they are expected to reach Force 6 as they veer back to a west-northwesterly direction.
The Met Office warned that the most unsettled and windy day is expected to be Sunday, when the weather will be marked by showers and very strong northwesterly winds, which may again reach Force 6 to 7. This will be the result of another low-pressure system moving from the British Isles towards the Baltic states by Sunday.
Temperatures are also expected to drop, with daytime highs ranging between 16°C and 14°C, while overnight temperatures are forecast to fall between 12°C and 10°C. The Met Office added that, however, the strong northwesterly winds will make temperatures feel colder.
The Meteorological Office concluded by saying it will continue to keep the public informed with the latest warnings and provide specific marine forecasts for mariners on its website. [1]
File photo: Gozo News/Alain Salvary