December was drier than usual with just 79.6mm of rain compared to the average 112.2mm, according to the Malta Airport Met Office.

It said the first day of the month had the highest rainfall rate at 28.2mm per hour.

However, thunderstorms were experienced on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 23rd, 24th, 26th and 27th. This was more than the norm of five days. Hail was only registered on the 27th and no fog was reported.

December had a total of 161.3 hours of bright sunshine, an average of 5.3 hours of sunshine every day, marginally more than the December norm.

December’s average air temperature of 14.1°C exceeded the climate norm by 0.2°C.

The highest temperature recorded last month was 19.8°C on the 10th and the highest December temperature recorded since 1947 was on December 5, 1963,
when the mercury rose to 24.3 °C.

The lowest temperature last month was 7.8°C, on December 19. The coolest
December night recorded was December 22, 1967 with a low of 3.6°C.

Mean relative humidity last month was 76 per cent, which is lower than the 30-year mean climate average of 80 per cent.