January 2019 was well below normal as far as both temperature and rainfall were concerned and the average maximum temperature of 6.7°C was 1.4°C below the Usk average for January of 8.1°C. The minimum temperature sank below 0°C on thirteen days. The warmest day was the 25th (max = 10.8°C) and the coldest was the 8th with a low of -1.3°C.
The measured rainfall was 24.0 mm, 19% of the Usk* average for January of 127.6 mm. Rain was measured on 11 days in the month, the wettest being the 16th when 5.2 mm fell.
February 2019 was much warmer than usual, especially during the last week when we were influenced by warm air coming from the south, and was much drier than usual also. The month had 3 frosty mornings in all, and the temperature was below 2°C all day on the 1st. Overall, the average maximum temperature of 10.9°C was 2.4°C above the Usk average for February of 8.5°C with a maximum of 18.3°C on the 27th.
Temperatures at the end of the month were unprecedented. Penallt records start in 2011 and the previous warmest February day was the 20th in 2017 and the 23rd in 2012 when both reached a high of 13.8°C. This was exceeded on five days in 2019!
There were 14 days on which no significant rain (0.2 mm or less) fell, and a total monthly rainfall of 20.2 mm was 23% of the Usk* average for February of 87.4 mm. The wettest day was the 10th with 4.4 mm.
March 2019 was slightly warmer and much drier than usual. Overall, the average maximum temperature of 11.7°C was 0.6°C above the Usk average for March of 11.1°C.
The coldest by day was the 8th, with a maximum of 8.6°C, and the warmest was the 30th with a maximum of 15.7°C, the month ending with 13 consecutive days where the maximum was over 10°C.
Unusually, rain fell on every one of the first 17 days but on none of the remaining 14. The total rainfall of 43.2 mm was 52% of the Usk* average for March of 83.1 mm.
April 2019 was dry with average temperatures overall, but was notable for a heatwave in the middle which provided the hottest Easter for many years. Overall, the average maximum temperature of 14.0°C equalled the Usk average for April of 14.0°C with a peak of 22.7°C on the 19th, the minimum temperature being -1.4°C on the 1st and the 11th.
There were 20 days when no rain (or a trace) fell, the wettest days being 5th when 9.2 mm fell each. It was much drier overall than usual with the total rainfall of 35.2 mm being 52% of the Usk* average for April of 67.5 mm.
May 2019 saw 20 days on which no significant rain fell. The total rainfall of 23.7 mm was 33% of the Usk* average for May of 71.5 mm.
Maximum temperatures exceeded 20°C on five days with a high of 23.2°C on the 25th. May was of normal temperature overall, and the average maximum temperature of 17.3°C was 0.2°C below the Usk average for May of 17.5°C.
June 2019 was cool and dry overall, but contained one very hot day (30C) towards the end. Conversely, the temperature never rose into double figures on the 11th.
Maximum temperatures were well below average overall, exceeding 20°C on 8 days with a maximum of 30.7°C on the 29th, just 0.1°C below the Penallt June record set in 2017.
The average maximum temperature of 18.4°C was 1.9°C below the Usk* average for June of 20.3°C.
June was also a dry month, the Penallt total rainfall of 48.0 mm being 80% of the Usk* June average of 60.2 mm. There were 15 days in the month when no measurable rain fell too.
July 2019 was warm and dry for the most part, but ended with heavy rain. The total rainfall of 67.0 mm was 7% above the Usk* average for July of 62.6 mm, most falling on the 19th and 30th. Despite this, there were 23 days on which no measurable rain fell.
The average maximum temperature of 23.3 °C was 1.0 °C above the Usk average for July of 22.3 °C; there were six days when the temperature exceeded 25 °C, the warmest being 31.7 °C on the 23rd.
NB a rain gauge failure meant that rain data for the second part of July has had to be “borrowed” from a source in Monmouth. The figures therefore give only an estimation for the precipitation in Penallt.
August 2019 was a little cooler than usual and just below average in terms of rainfall. The total rainfall of 60.0 mm was 81% of the Usk* average for August of 73.9 mm and there were 17 days on which no significant rain (>0.2 mm) fell.
The average maximum temperature of 21.6 °C was 0.5 °C below the Usk average for August of 22.1 °C, the warmest day being the 24th (27.8 °C). A heatwave towards the end of the month saw temperatures exceed 25°C on four consecutive days and the temperature was 20 °C or more on 20 days.
NB a rain gauge failure meant that rain data up to the 18th August has had to be “borrowed” from a source in Monmouth. The figures therefore give only an estimation for the precipitation in Penallt.
September 2019 was settled for the most part but a wet period set in during the last 9 days, leaving the overall rainfall at 131.4 mm, some 62% above the Usk* average for September of 81.2 mm. There were 18 days of rainfall below 0.2 mm. The wettest day was the 27th, when 25.2 mm fell.
The month was a little cooler than average, with the mean maximum temperature of 18.6 °C being 0.6 °C below the Usk average for September of 19.2 °C. The highest was 24.2 °C on the 21st and the lowest of 13.9 °C occurred on the 9th. The temperature exceeded 20 °C on 7 occasions.
October 2019 was cooler and wetter than usual. The average maximum temperature of 13.2°C was 1.8°C under the Usk average for October of 15.0°C.
There were 6 days on which no significant rain was recorded and the total rainfall of 176.6 mm was 40% above the Usk* average for October of 126.3 mm. 59.6 mm fell on the two days 25th and 26th and considerable local flooding resulted.
November 2019 was cold and wet. The average maximum temperature of 8.4°C was 2.6°C below the Usk average for November of 11.0°C. Several days had ground frosts but the air temperature only dropped below zero on the 9th and 18th. Maximum temperatures ranged between 14.1°C on the 1st and 4.9°C on the 14th, 21st and 30th.
Measurable rain was recorded on 23 days and there were six days when over 10 mm was recorded, the wettest being the 14th when 37.8 mm fell. The total rainfall of 153.4 mm was 35% above the Usk* average for November of 113.7 mm.
December 2019 had expected temperatures overall but was wetter than average at the same time. The average maximum temperature of 8.3°C was 0.1°C below the Usk average for December of 8.4°C. The maximum temperature exceeded 10°C on 7 days and there were only 2 days of air frost too.
There were 9 days when no significant rain was recorded (<0.2 mm); the total rainfall was 150.4 mm, was 23% above the Usk* average for December of 121.9 mm.
Click the button below for an Excel file giving daily data for 2019:-
* Usk is the nearest Met Office station for which long term averages (1981-2010) are available.