Pack away your raincoats, summer’s dry and hot weather is not about to be interrupted, as rumours of a freak rainstorm lashing Malta in the coming days have been dispelled by the Meteorological Office.

Italy and Sicily are to bear the brunt of the downpours, with Malta staying outside their sphere of influence.

Yesterday’s early morning drizzle saw organisers of St Dominic’s feast in Valletta rush to cover up their coveted statues in plastic. But their fears were soon allayed when, by mid-morning, the grey clouds had been dissipated by the sun.

The sudden drop in temperature and light showers on Sunday and Monday were due to a trough of low pressure extending from the Tyrrhenian Sea towards the central Mediterranean and Libya which moved eastwards yesterday morning.

The low pressure system will remain stationary over the Tyrrhenian Sea while an area of high pressure will cover the Gulf of Gabes and the central Mediterranean, Kenneth Chase, Met Office forecaster said.

The maximum temperature reached yesterday until 3 p.m. was of 30.3°C which is two degrees lower than the average maximum temperature for the last 11 days of July (32.3°C).

However, there were other years when the maximum temperature in July was lower than yesterday’s, Mr Chase said.

Rain in July is not an uncommon occurrence and has been recorded before in 16 different years going back to 1948.

The weather over the next five days will return to its summer best and the maximum temperature is expected to rise.