A number of Maltese Santas traded in their sleighs for canoes on Friday, making the best of the sunny weather that is s expected to be heralding the New Year on Sunday.

Malta Airport's Meteorological Office said in a statement that the current streak of fine weather will continue into the New Year weekend, as mostly clear skies are forecast for the upcoming days and well into the first few days of 2023. 

Revellers can look forward to soaking up the final moments of the year outdoors, as the mercury will likely hover around the late teens on New Year’s Eve. 

On Saturday, the maximum air temperature is forecast to reach 18°C, which is 1°C above the average for this time of the year, while the minimum temperature is not expected to drop below 12°C. 

A perfect day for sunbathing. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Similarly, on New Year’s Day, partly cloudy skies will bring with them temperatures ranging between highs of 17°C and lows of around 13°C.

Over the weekend, winds are expected to be light. Current Southwesterly winds will veer light to moderate on New Year’s Eve and with a light mainly East Northeast wind on New Year’s Day. 

While over the past few days cooler evenings combined with clear skies and light winds have contributed to the formation of mist and fog in the early morning, these conditions are not expected to last past the weekend. 

A further change in weather is expected from January 4, as mostly cloudy skies and possible rain showers will likely cause a slight drop in temperatures.