Distant cumulonimbus to the SE of Malta due to a broad upper level low and a cool upper airmass. Because of the seasonally northerly storm track, a trigger to initiate thunderstorms was lacking over a wide area. However, the strong surface heating served as a trigger for the warm surface air to rise hence creating lots of thunderstorm activity mainly over landmass areas (because land heats much more quicker than water) and decaying during the night. Such meteorological situation is quite common during Summer over the Mediterranean when weather conditions permit. The weather sounding, due to a cooler sea, depicted enough convective inhibition of -31J per kg to suppress thunderstorm activity but by simply increasing the immediate surface air temperature, this inhibition for surface air to rise was mostly erased hence enabling thunderstorms to initiate over landmass areas. The first thumbnail shows a cumulus cloud devloping over the area.