I was born in New York in March 1964. My parents and I stayed there until I was 3 years old. I faintly recall my mother holding me behind a window while the snow was falling outside. Perhaps this was what triggered my interest in everything that has to do with the weather.

We then started living at Nadur, located on Malta’s sister island of Gozo. I have always loved watching weather phenomena. I recall that as a young kid, at age 4 or 5, I never missed a rainfall event. I remember my nose pressed against the glass panes of doors and windows enjoying seeing the rain falling. When I grew up some more, I became more adventurous. I was maybe 6 or 7 at the time and I distinctly remember going on the roof many times a day to watch rain clouds gathering and then stay up there with an umbrella being happy to witness that spectacular weather event. If there was any lightning or hail or some other unusual event, my joy would increase even more!

This state of events lasted until I turned 11. On April 2, 1975, two days after my 11th birthday I was home with a cold and an idea suddenly hit me. I said to myself: “Why not start keeping daily weather records of the events I like observing so much?”  From that day onwards, I never missed a day without dedicating a few minutes every evening entering weather data. At first, the data was very rudimentary, but as the years rolled by, it became much more detailed and sophisticated. Even during the years I emigrated in the United States (1981 – 1990), I still kept daily weather records.

My course at the University of Malta (1991 – 1995), my marriage to Irene in 1993 and the arrival of our three girls in 1994, 1996 and 1999, did nothing to detract from my ‘hobby’ of observing and recording the weather. In 1992 I installed my first automatic Weather Station – a Heathkit model. This model lasted until 2001 when it was damaged beyond repair. I replaced it with an Oregon Scientific Weather Station and purchased weather software to complement it. My big break came in 2002 when MaltaMedia decided to sponsor me and this led to the gozoweather.com website which includes continuous 15 minutes weather updates, 24 hours a day, and 3-day marine forecast, besides other items.

My ‘hobby’ has now matured in something more of a part-time job. Besides my regular job as teacher, I now spend a fair amount of time updating weather records and the gozoweather.com website, giving daily forecasts on the local community radio station and answering questions from people I know and strangers about past and present weather events. However, many times a day I am stopped by people in the streets wanting to know what the weather will be like in the following days.

My wish is that as I grow older, I keep this fascinating ‘hobby’ alive. With a family to raise, a job to do and a million other daily chores to do, it is not easy finding the time to do what you love to do. But so far I have managed and I hope to keep doing so in the future. 

© Photos by gozoweather.com