Natural phenomenon made the sea colder in some bays over the weekend

If the water at Xlendi bay felt colder over the weekend than in recent weeks, it was not a figment of your imagination, according to a senior oceanographer. Aldo Drago, from the University of Malta’s Department of Geosciences, told the Times of Malta that the strong northwesterly wind, the majjistral in the vernacular, which hit Malta over the weekend resulted in a natural phenomenon which cools the sea temperature down significantly. “When a strong wind hits the coast, it pushes surface water away and forces fresh, cooler and nutrient rich water from the depths upwards,” Prof. Drago said. Known as an “upwelling”, the phenomenon is not uncommon in the Mediterranean. It is the result of a wind that blows from southern France and Spain to the north-western Mediterranean, with sustained winds often exceeding 40 kilometres an hour. Prof. Drago said the variation in sea temperature was significant, with waters around Gozo’s Xlendi bay and other northwestern bays recorded at 20°C on Saturday, while the sea at north-facing areas such as Marsascala, for instance, were at a much warmer 25°C. “The longer the southern coastline, the more of an impact this wind has. This is why we see a...