A third of the rainfall recorded by the met office over 12 months poured down over the Maltese islands during September of last year.

But despite September 2020 being the seventh wettest on record, last winter yielded just over half the expected rainfall during the precipitation year that ended in August. 

According to the meterological office at the Malta International Airport, 395.3mm of rainfall was recorded during the precipitation year 2020/2021.

This amount fell 171.7mm short of the climatic norm, which is based on precipitation averages spanning from 1981 until 2010.  

September was the only month of the year to yield above-average precipitation.

November was the year’s second-wettest month with 77.1mm of rainfall.

The meteorological autumn, composed of September, October, and November, was the year’s wettest season, accounting for 223.1mm of the year's rainfall.

This season is generally associated with showery episodes as a result of convective (fluffly-looking) clouds and intervals of drier and sunnier weather.

The meteorological winter yielded just over half the expected seasonal rainfall.

The 141mm of rain measured during this season was mainly collected in December - the wettest since 2014.

February’s contribution to winter’s total was just 7.8mm, which came nowhere close to the norm for the month of 56.9mm of rain.

February went down on record as the sixth driest since 1923.

July was the driest month of the year, followed by May (0.4mm of dew) and June and August (0.8mm).