Today is expected to mark the end of a seven-day heatwave, during which the Meteorological Office recorded the highest temperature ever measured in July over the past 100 years: 43.3°C.

The Met Office said that this record temperature was measured on Saturday 18th July, and is just 0.5°C below Malta’s all-time highest temperature, which stands at 43.8°C, recorded in August 1999.

The first heatwave of 2026 began on Thursday, the 16th of July, when temperatures reached 38.1°C. Although the temperature dropped slightly to 36.8°C the following day, it still remained 5°C above July’s mean maximum temperature (31.7°C).

From then onwards, temperatures consistently exceeded 38°C, with the highest temperature recorded by the Meteorological Office remaining above 42°C over the last three days. This also marked the first time on record that temperatures exceeded the 42°C mark for three consecutive days, prompting the Meteorological Office to issue a Red Weather Warning, its highest level of warning. The heatwave was caused by a ”bulge of high pressure stretching from North Africa across the central Mediterranean, sandwiched between two cooler low-pressure systems. Meteorologists call this weather pattern an Omega Block because on weather maps it resembles the Greek letter ?. It is a slow-moving system, which is the reason why the hot, dry weather continued over the central Mediterranean for such a prolonged period of time,” the Met Office said.

Although the heatwave is expected to end today, this does not mean that cooler weather is on the way. Temperatures over the coming days are forecast to return closer to the July climatic average, ranging between 33°C and 35°C.

These temperatures are still considered high, and the Meteorological Office said it is expected to issue a Yellow Weather Warning, encouraging the public to continue avoiding prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and to follow the heat-related advice regularly issued by the health authorities.

Overnight, winds are expected to shift to an east-southeasterly direction, causing humidity levels to rise and making conditions feel more uncomfortable.

On Friday, moderate to rather strong northwesterly winds are forecast, offering some temporary relief from the heat. However, these conditions will be short-lived, with winds expected to veer back to a southerly direction over the weekend.

The Malta Met Office said that the public is encouraged to continue taking the necessary precautions and to pay particular attention to the wellbeing of children and vulnerable individuals.

File photo: Gozo News/Alain Salvary

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