A very hazy day over the Maltese Islands due to a Sirocco wind current as indicated on the second thumbnail with the formation of stratocumulus stratiformis opacus clouds along with mid-level clouds probably altostratus. The first thumbnail shows a very unstable airmass but somewhat reduced lapse rate at a level around 2000 metres. Instead a Mesoscale Convective System developed very close to the Maltese Islands as indicated by the visible satellite image on the third thumbnail. This type of photographed cloud cover is more common in the Spring months and was associated with a low pressure system that developed over North Africa as indicated by the surface pressure chart on the fourth thumbnail. Althaugh the MCS eventually broke down in the afternoon, the storms rejuvenated overnight at sea to the east of Malta producing lots of lightning activity and very heavy rain which missed land.