Monthly mean maps for precipitation and temperature (observed and anomaly) with a summary of the monthly meteorological situation


This analysis is based on observational data of precipitation and temperature. For a monthly analysis based on ERA5 reanalysis, please see the Climate bulletins produced by Copernicus Climate Change Service

Meteorological situation for August 2019

Figure 1: Accumulated precipitation [mm] for August 2019.
Figure 1: Accumulated precipitation [mm] for August 2019.
Figure 2: Precipitation anomaly [%] for August 2019, relative to a long-term average (1990-2013). Blue (red) denotes wetter (drier) conditions than normal.
Figure 2: Precipitation anomaly [%] for August 2019, relative to a long-term average (1990-2013). Blue (red) denotes wetter (drier) conditions than normal.
Figure 3: Mean temperature [°C] for August 2019.
Figure 3: Mean temperature [°C] for August 2019.
Figure 4: Temperature anomaly [°C] for August 2019, relative to a long-term average (1990-2013). Blue (red) denotes colder (warmer) temperatures than normal.
Figure 4: Temperature anomaly [°C] for August 2019, relative to a long-term average (1990-2013). Blue (red) denotes colder (warmer) temperatures than normal.

This analysis is based on observational data of precipitation and temperature. For a monthly analysis based on ERA5 reanalysis, please see the Climate bulletins produced by Copernicus climate Change Service.

 

The meteorological situation in August 2019 was characterised by low-pressure systems in the north and stable high-pressure systems in the south of the EFAS domain. Some regions received more while other, even nearby, regions received less than normally expected precipitation amounts. Like the previous month, the monthly mean temperature was below normal in the most western and eastern parts of the EFAS domain while in the centre and southern parts above normal monthly mean temperatures were recorded.


At the beginning of August, a large low-pressure system was situated over Russia and caused persistent rain as a smaller system south of Iceland moved over Great Britain and Ireland towards southern Scandinavia and a high-pressure system influenced the southern parts of the EFAS domain. Later, a low-pressure system moved from the Atlantic Ocean via Great Britain and Ireland to Scandinavia causing many heavy precipitation events between Great Britain and France in the west, Italy and Hungary in the south and Poland and Slovak Republic in the east. Instable air masses occurred also at the Balkans and south-eastern Europe causing heavy precipitation and large hailstones. The low-pressure system over Russia was replaced by a new one moving eastward. Another large low-pressure system moved from the Atlantic Ocean to the Norwegian Sea, whereas high pressure influenced the other parts of the EFAS domain except Turkey, where an upper level low occurred causing heavy precipitation events. Later, an upper level trough developed from the Icelandic low southward to the western Iberian Peninsula resulting in a cut-off upper level cold drop and heavy precipitation was reported from the Iberian Peninsula. At the same time, a high-pressure system developed over eastern Europe and persisted until the end of the month. Heavy convective precipitation events were reported from several countries in central Europe and Morocco, causing flash floods.


In August 2019, the highest monthly precipitation totals were observed in Great Britain and Ireland, and southern Norway, the Alps, the Tatra Mountains, Russia and the southeast coast of the Black Sea (Figure 1). Nearly no precipitation fell in some parts of the Iberian Peninsula, France, Italy and Greece as well as in the south and east of the Mediterranean Sea and some regions near the Caspian Sea. Less than normal precipitation fell in a belt across central France, Germany, Poland, the Baltic to the Kola Peninsula but also in Iceland, locally around the Mediterranean Sea, the Balkans but also in Ukraine and Southern Russia (Figure 2). More than normal precipitation fell in parts of Great Britain and Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula, southern Scandinavia as well as in a region from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, southern Poland, Belarus to Russia and south-eastern Ukraine to Russia. In addition, some smaller areas in other regions received more than normal precipitation amounts, e.g. in Italy, Turkey and northwest Africa.


The monthly mean air temperature ranged from -0.7°C to 38.6°C with the highest temperatures in the southern parts and lowest temperatures in the northern and mountainous parts of the EFAS domain (Figure 3). Temperature anomalies ranged from -4.4°C to 7.8°C with abnormally low temperatures in the western part of northwest Africa, the western Iberian Peninsula, Iceland, eastern Scandinavia and from Russia southward to the Caspian Sea and Turkey (Figure 4). In nearly all other regions temperatures rose above normal.