The
climate is typically Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers, warm
and sporadically wet autumns, and short, cool winters with adequate
rainfall. Nearly three-fourths
of the total annual rainfall of about 20 inches (508 millimeters)
falls between October and March; June, July, and August are
normally quite dry.
The
temperature is very stable, the annual mean being 18ºC (64ºF)
and the monthly averages ranging from 12ºC (54ºF) to 31ºC (88ºF).
Winds are quite strong and frequent; the most common are the
cool northwesterly ("majjistral"), the dry
northeasterly ("grigal"), and the hot humid southeasterly
("xlokk"). The relative humidity is consistently high
and rarely falls below 40 percent. |