1°C temperature rise recorded for 1970-2003

The average temperatures in Malta over the past 33 years have gone up by 1°C, the National Statistics Office said yesterday, issuing data on Malta's temperature between 1970 and 2003 on the occasion of World Meteorological Day.

The data make up a profile of the temperature in the Maltese islands over that period.

The mean monthly temperature for the past 33 years clearly indicates that the hottest month of the year is August, with a maximum average temperature of 29.3°C. January is the coldest, with a maximum average temperature of 14.2°C.

The highest temperature recorded was on August 9, 1999 when the temperature soared to 43.7°C. High temperatures are usually recorded in the months of July and August, however on one occasion a temperature of 37.4°C was recorded on September 26, 1990, which is quite unusual for this time of the year.

The lowest recorded temperature for the period under review was on January 29, 1981 when a temperature of 1.4°C was registered.