The last 12 months were the second driest on record according to the Meteorological Office at Malta International Airport.

From September to August – the most recent ‘precipitation year’ – only 249.8 mm of rainfall was recorded. This is less than half the amount normally registered over the same period.

Rain was recorded on 58 days out of the 366 days in the precipitation year, totalling “295.5 mm below the climatic norm,” the Met Office said.

Only 1948 was drier - when just 230.7 mm of rain fell.

Most months saw below-average rainfall, with only last month registering above-average precipitation, exceeding the monthly norm by 3.5 mm in one downpour on August 22.

Meanwhile, July was the driest month of the year with no rain recorded at all for the second year in a row, while October last year was the driest such month on record with only 0.2 mm of rain.

November “offered some relief” however, with 53.6 mm of rain “providing much-needed hydration for crops after a dry start to the rainy season”, the Met Office said.

That month was also home to the wettest day of the year, when 26.4 mm of rain fell on November 22.

Over the past 12 months, Malta was hit by 14 thunderstorms and experienced three bouts of hail in November, January and February, with the latter seeing social media flooded with images and videos of ice blanketing the streets.

Each year, the Met Office - which celebrated its 100th anniversary two years ago - releases reports on the previous precipitation year, which runs from September 1 to August 31.

Last year's analysis for the preceding precipitation year showed the summer months of June, July and August were all drier than average months.

According to the Met Office weather forecast on Friday afternoon, the weekend is expected to be cloudy with showers predicted on Monday. Peak temperatures are expected to hover between 26 and 27 degrees Celsius.