Malta’s Meteorological Office has said it doesn’t expect to issue red warnings in the coming days, with reports of a potential Medicare off the mark. 

However, it urged the public to brace themselves for “strong to very strong” winds later today, particularly in exposed areas. 

In a weather update, the Met Office said the current bout of bad weather is caused by low pressure which developed to the South of Malta yesterday and moved to the east of the Gulf of Sirte, resulting in heavy precipitation. 

Although this weather pattern is expected to continue over the coming days, heavy rain showers are not expected, with the Met Office reporting that the heaviest precipitation occurred overnight between the 25th and 26th of October.

“Despite reports that the Maltese islands will be affected by a medicane, which is a tropical-like cyclone bringing average wind speeds which are equal to or greater than 54 knots, the Meteorological Office confirmed that the current depression is not a medicane,” the statement reads.

“However, by the 29th of October, the depression can intensify to a medicane and will be positioned over the Ionian Sea.”