A Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) had formed on the immediate coast of eastern Tunisia due to very warm sea temperatures (30C+). This MCS had intensified half way between Tunisia and Malta fuelled by very warm waters but then weakened on the second part of its journey. This photo shows altostratus and later nimbostratus over Malta from the much weakened MCS. Some rain and strong wind gusts up to Force 8 were registered in the Maltese Islands. Probably the MCS was initiated by an upper-level low heading southeastwards from the NW Mediterranean aided by the hot surface of both land and sea. The first three thumbnails show the initiation, peak and weakening of the same storm system. It could have been that a cold front had passed over the area.