The time series consist of trajectory data and sea surface temperature collected by a number of drifters released in six different deployments between 2012 and 2016. The drifters, which were procured through the CALYPSO project, were deployed in the channel between Malta and Sicily and the data collected was used to validate the sea surface currents measured by the HF radar network installed within the same project. CALYPSO was partly financed by the EU under the Operational Programme Italia-Malta 2007-2013.