Last month’s average air temperature of 28.5°C exceeded the climate norm of 25.9°C by 2.6°C, the Meteorological Office said.

The office said that between July 9 and 12, the maximum temperature was 5°C or more above normal and this qualified as a heat wave.

Three consecutive days were relatively cooler.

The maximum temperature dropped below the mean of 30.7°C on the 23 when the maximum temperature was 30.3°C, on the 24 when the maximum temperature was 28.3°C and on the 25 with a maximum temperature of 30.1°C. After the 25 the maximum temperature started to increase again and reached a peak of 37.6°C on the 29.

The highest temperature last month – 40.7 °C – was reached on the 11th. This is 10°C above the norm. The highest ever recorded maximum temperature for July is 42.7°C, reached on July 9, 1988.

The lowest temperature last month was 21.1°C, recorded on the 24. The coolest July night was July 2, 1923 with a low of 13.9°C.

There were last month an average of 12 hours and 12 minutes of sunshine a day, 24 minutes more than the July norm. This July had very few clouds, with the exception of the 4, 22 and 23.

The average sea surface temperature was 26.6 °C. This is 2.5°C higher than the average for July.

The mean relative humidity last month was 64% which is lower than the 30-year mean climate average of 69%.

Only a trace rainfall was recorded at Malta Airport MetOffice.

The wind speed, averaging 6.7 knots, was slightly less than expected during a typical July.

On July 23, a maximum wind gust of 27 knots was recorded from the northwest by north.

The highest wind gust measured at Malta Airport in July since 1947 was 47 knots, on July 2, 1954.