Updated 2pm

The Malta Meteorological Office issued an orange weather warning on Friday morning, saying that winds blowing over Malta are expected to reach Gale force over some parts of the country. 

By 2pm the Met Office said the Southeast wind, veering Southwest, will be strong over the Maltese Islands and very strong over the exposed areas until at least 8pm.

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Throughout the day, Friday was cloudy with thundery rain showers and hail with the winds reaching Force 7, and expected to decrease to Force 5 to 6 by the evening. 

Virtu Ferries has cancelled all trips to Sicily today and the fast ferry service between Gozo and Valletta has also been cancelled. 

Gozo Channel advised that ferry operations are being diverted to the Ċirkewwa South Quay and that delays are expected. 

Conditions are expected to ease on Saturday, with cloudy isolated showers clearing to partly cloudy skies. The south-southwest winds are expected to blow at Force 5 to 6. 

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post on Friday afternoon, Ryan Callus posted a photo of the LNG tanker, which, due to the storm, was disconnected from the jetty and no longer able to supply LNG to the Electrogas plant.

The PN MP said had it not been for the interconnector the the PN had wanted, Malta would be without power during the storm.

The floating storage unit is equipped with a storm mooring system that allows it to be winched a short distance away from the jetty and hunkered down when the sea gets too rough for it to safely operate.