Fiona Galea Debono
Snow in Tripoli, but little chance in Malta
The scene in Tripoli.
The Libyan capital, Tripoli, enjoyed a flurry of the white stuff overnight, but in Malta the Met Office yesterday dampened reports that it could also snow here.
Snow is rare, but not unheard of in the Libyan capital.
An Italian website yesterday raised the possibility of snow falling over Malta as extreme cold weather over Europe heads south. .
Rome has been covered in a blanket of whiteness – the heaviest snowfall the city has seen since 1986… but the prospect remains so close, and yet, so far.
Malta’s surrounding waters produce a moderating effect
The Mediterranean islands of Lampedusa, Pantelleria, Malta – and even Tunisia – were forecast to welcome snow, according to Italian weather website Cosmo-Me, with the possibility of temperatures dipping drastically and uncharacteristically to -4°C… at 5,000 feet above sea level.
If Malta had a mountain and no sea, it would experience snow, but its highest peak stands at around 850 feet, and its surrounding warm waters, at 15°C, have a moderating effect.
The MetOffice clarified that the maximum temperature today and tomorrow is expected to be around 10°C, while the minimum should hover around 6°C. At most, Malta may experience snow flurries on the high areas of Dingli, and Nadur, Gozo.
Although the temperature on the ground is a far cry from the sub-zero predictions up above, the forecast still contrasts with the mean maximum temperature for February, which is 15.6°C, and the mean minimum temperature at 9.4°C.
“The weather for the coming two days is expected to be partly to rather cloudy, with isolated showers, possibly thundery. The northwest wind will increase to very strong today and decrease gradually to rather strong by the end of tomorrow,” the Met. Office spokesman said.
Due to the strong winds, the wind chill factor (defined as the apparent temperature felt on exposed skin due to the combination of air temperature and wind speed) might make it feel colder than it actually is… meaning balaclavas and thick scarves, wound around the mouth, would not necessarily be amiss.
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Joseph Camilleri
Feb 7th, 20:56
Snow is only nice on post cards... It was hell, during my 4 years in Oslo clearing my car off snow before going to work and waiting 5 to 10 minutes before it heats up in a temperature of -15 degrees or less!!
Thank your lucky stars that snow does not exist in Malta! Who needs it?!?! And I thank the heavens I am back in Malta... it's truly a heaven on a place on earth, in all aspects!
Cheers!
Jennifer Styevens
Feb 7th, 09:17
can you imagine some of the drivers here having to drive one snow perish the thought they are bad enough when it rains
M camilleri
Feb 6th, 17:15
In Rabat this morning we saw snow flakes time was around 6.30am just for few sec..
J Farrugia
Feb 6th, 17:41
I saw snow flakes as well at around the same time at Mosta ... only that i realized a few moments later i had been dreaming ...
peppe caridi
Feb 6th, 14:50
TOMORROW LET'S SNOW TO MALTA!!! LOOK HERE: https://www.facebook.com/meteoweb
THE WEATHER FORECAST: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=343133489051206&set=a.268265436538012.73321.255672651130624&type=1&ref=nf
Info: www.meteoweb.eu
Michael Attard
Feb 6th, 13:25
@ Y'ALL
Who cares we are surrounded by water......ocean or sea who cares!!!
Christian Sciberras
Feb 18th, 19:52
By that standard, we are surround by billions of suns as well....
Eric Camilleri (Q)
Feb 6th, 12:48
If Malta had a mountain and no sea, it would experience snow, but its highest peak stands at around 850 feet and is called Mount Maghtab.
Pauline Thompson
Feb 6th, 11:48
Well that's amazing - snowing in Tripoli and plenty of snow in certain parts of the UK but here in Weymouth Dorset not a snow flake in sight!! And we had a change of 15 degrees over night from -9 to 6 between Saturday night and Sunday morning that's a big difference - weird!!
Albert Falzon
Feb 6th, 11:44
if i am not mistaken it was xmas of 30 years ago. i remeber i was a kid and will going to my grands, it was like small tiny cotton coming down, not more than 3 peices
Alfred Falzon
Feb 6th, 11:23
Let it be known that in some parts of North Africa snow blizzards are a common feature in winter!
Yesterday it snowed heavily in Algeria and over Gharian close to the Nafusa Mountains in Libya.
Snow is not unknown to Malta either!
The Meteorological Office should be in possession of statistics and data about this fact.
I may be wrong, but it did snow once at Rabat, on Dingli Cliffs and in the whereabouts of urban areas in central Malta some years ago.
The flakes reached the ground but it did not take long for them to thaw and disappear in no time at all.
Could anyone confirm or deny what I have stated?
Alfred A. Falzon
Ġ. Agius
Feb 6th, 13:36
yes Mr. Falzon I had built a little snowman in fact when that happened. I had to be fast of course because as you said, everything thawed up pretty quickly. But I managed to take a couple of photos. If you're interested just drop me an email address and I'll send you the photos of the little snowman.
Alfred Falzon
Feb 9th, 09:47
@ Mr G. Agius
Thank you Mr G. Agius for your information. Indeed, such a photo is of intrinsic value to us Maltese still unaware of what our Mediterranean region is all about!
High time for our children to start taking regional geography more seriously, but much depends on the Government of the day and its educational policy.
Alfred A. Falzon
P Brinc
Feb 6th, 11:15
Erm,, Mr.Busuttil, seems Geography wasn't your favorite subject at school!
Malta is in the middle of the Mediterranean SEA not Ocean! :-))
Andrei Lugovoi
Feb 6th, 10:51
LET IT SNOW,LET IT SNOW,LET IT SNOW
Ramon Casha
Feb 6th, 10:34
Oh dang! I thought we were going to become a Switzerland in the Mediterranean after all. So much for a skiing holiday on Mt. Magħtab :'(
Paul Azzopardi
Feb 6th, 14:27
HEE hee we should take that seriously in a few years Maghtab could actually end up being Malta's highest point. Anyone taken any measurement as yet ?? LOL.....
Albert Falzon
Feb 6th, 10:00
so we might see some snow flakes on top of maghtab mountain or No?
Joseph Grech Attard
Feb 6th, 11:02
LOL!!
A Tonna
Feb 6th, 13:19
Good one :)
Peter Busuttil
Feb 6th, 09:49
I have always said it, and will continue to do so; "Thank God we are surrounded by the ocean"!
Keith Tanti
Feb 6th, 10:49
We are not actually.. it`s the Mediterranean that surrounds us, not the ocean!! :)
mindofmyown .
Feb 6th, 10:55
than you have always been, and will continue to be... ignorant. its called a sea
R. Caruana
Feb 6th, 11:06
Where do you think we are? In the middle of the Pacific? The Mediterranean is an (inland) sea. Anyhow correction apart, point taken & you're right, snow is beautiful but subzero temperatures can be dangerous.
Christian Sciberras
Feb 6th, 09:48
Sounds like it's time for an "I told you so."
Most people are best described by the Catholic church....sheep.