It’s very hot but not a heat wave

Temperatures will reach a sweltering 36°C today, with the mercury dipping by a degree tomorrow and Friday, leading the Health Department to urge people to keep out of the sun.

A Met Office spokesman said when contacted the temperatures over the coming days were forecast to be considerably hotter than the mean maximum for this time of year. However, he said Malta was not officially going through a heat wave because, by definition, a heat wave was a period of three days or more when the maximum temperature exceeded the average maximum for the time of year by more than 5°C.

The Health Division is advising people to keep out of the sun between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and to keep well hydrated. It said high temperatures caused water to be lost from the body at quick rates resulting in dehydration, which could also lead to heat exhaustion or heatstroke, so it was essential to drink lots of fluids.

It urged people to stay in the coolest parts of the home and workplace and to seek advice if they had any concerns.

The heat could affect anyone but some people ran a greater risk of serious harm including older people, babies and young children, people with chronic conditions and physically active people, it warned.