According to the Met Office, Wales has faced its driest year since 1976. As parts of Wales prepare for an amber alert heatwave - with temperatures reaching 32C - and a hosepipe ban coming into force later this month, we share the driest areas in Wales based off the UK's national weather service.
The Met Office data shows the driest areas in Wales based off rainfall measurements during winter, spring and summer of this year. South Glamorgan has been the driest area in Wales during the last nine months, with 547mm of average rainfall, based off the data. So far this year has had 23% less rainfall based on a 30 year averaging period.
During winter, Gwent county had the least amount of rain, with 312mm of rainfall during the months of December 2021 to February 2022. In spring, South Glamorgan was the driest area, with only 135mm of rainfall during the months of March to May. So far this summer, Gwent has been the driest area with 84mm of rainfall during June to August.
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It has been the driest year since 1976, which combined with record temperatures and an increased demand for water, means reservoirs in Pembrokeshire area are approaching drought levels. The Met Office say Wales saw the driest July since 2006, with 52mm of average rainfall and only 53% of the rain that would be expected in that month.
A hosepipe ban comes into force from 8am of Friday, August 19 for customers in Pembrokeshire. Welsh Water has issued a statement about the risk of hosepipe bans being imposed elsewhere in Wales. People have been concerned by the sight of dried up reservoirs across the nation. A ban has already been announced for Pembrokeshire and Camarthenshire from August 19. However, Welsh Water has said that at the moment it believes that water resources across the rest of the nation are in a good position. Find out more here.
The spokesperson said: “Water resources across the majority of Wales are in a reasonably good position despite the exceptionally dry periods we have experienced and the recent record high temperatures. We did have a concern about the situation in Pembrokeshire which is why we needed to take steps and announce a temporary use ban from 19th August."
In the coming days, parts of Wales will hit record temperatures as a heatwave spreads across the nation. On Tuesday, the Met Office issued an amber "extreme heat" alert covering parts of Wales and the UK. The amber alert is in place between 12.01am on Thursday, August 11, until 11.59pm on Sunday, August 14.
The Met Office said: "The heat will build through the week, peaking on Friday and Saturday thanks to the influence of high pressure positioned over the UK.
Temperatures are expected to hit 30C at the peak on Wednesday afternoon in areas like Monmouth, Abergavenny and Hay on Wye. At the peak of Thursday's heat at around 4pm, the border with England is expected to hit 31C with temperatures dropping slightly the further west you go, but only down as far as 29C in Cardiff, 27C in Swansea and 24C in Milford Haven and Aberystwyth. The hot spells continues until the weekend, with temperatures expecting to peak at 32C in the Monmouthshire area. Find out here what the temperatures should look like in parts of Wales for this week.
The Met Office forecast for Wales:
Gwent
The average rainfall for Gwent this year is 547.7mm. This winter it had 312.1mm of average rainfall, 150.2mm of rainfall in spring and 85.4 mm of rainfall so far this summer.
Gwent remains hot this week with heavy showers forecast next week in Ebbw Vale. Temperatures hit 30C in most areas, with cooler weather forecast from Tuesday.
Abertillery
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday - 29C - Sunny
Sunday - 29C - Sunny
Monday - 23C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 21C - Sunny
Wednesday - 20C - Sunny
Ebbw Vale
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday - 29C - Sunny
Sunday - 29C - Sunny
Monday - 23C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 21C - Cloudy with heavy rain
Wednesday - 20C - Cloudy with light showers
Blaenavon
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday - 29C - Sunny
Sunday - 29C - Sunny
Monday - 23C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 20C - Cloudy with light showers
Wednesday - 19C - Cloudy
South Glamorgan
The average rainfall for South Glamorgan this year is 546.9mm. This winter it had 318.9mm of average rainfall, 135.2mm of rainfall in spring and 92.8mm of rainfall so far this summer.
South Glamorgan remains hot this week and next week, with a slight chance of rain from Monday evening and cloudier weather from Tuesday.
Cardiff
Friday - 32C - Sunny
Saturday - 30C - Sunny
Sunday - 28C - Sunny
Monday - 23C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 22C - Sunny with light showers
Wednesday - 21C - Sunny with light showers
Barry
Friday - 31C - Sunny
Saturday - 29C - Sunny
Sunday - 27C - Sunny
Monday - 23C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 22C Sunny with light showers
Wednesday - 21C - Sunny with light showers
Clwyd
The average rainfall for Clwyd this year is 639.8mm. This winter it had 384.3mm of average rainfall, 136mm of rainfall in spring and 119.5mm of rainfall so far this summer.
Clwyd remains warm with temperatures rising to 33C on Friday, with cooler temperatures on Sunday. On Monday there’s a 60% chance of showers in Wrexham, but will still feel very warm at 24C.
Conwy
Friday - 28C - Sunny
Saturday - 26C - Sunny
Sunday - 24C - Sunny and partly cloudy
Monday - 21C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 18C - Cloudy
Wednesday - 19C - Cloudy
Ruthin (Denbighshire)
Friday - 31C - Sunny
Saturday - 30C - Sunny
Sunday - 30C - Sunny and partly cloudy
Monday - 25C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 20C - Cloudy with light showers
Wednesday - 19C - Cloudy with light showers
Flint
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday - 27C - Sunny
Sunday - 28C - Sunny and partly cloudy
Monday - 23C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 20C - Cloudy
Wednesday - 20C - Sunny
Wrexham
Friday - 31C - Sunny
Saturday - 30C - Sunny
Sunday - 30C - Sunny and partly cloudy
Monday - 25C - Cloudy with light showers
Tuesday - 21C - Cloudy with heavy showers
Wednesday - 20C - Sunny with light showers
Powys
The average rainfall for Powys this year is 775mm. This winter it had 503.3mm of average rainfall, 151.5mm of rainfall in spring and 120.2mm of rainfall so far this summer.
Powys remains warm this week, with temperatures hitting 30C on Saturday. From Monday there’s a chance of showers and cloudier weather on Wednesday.
Newtown
Friday - 31C - Sunny
Saturday - 30C - Sunny
Sunday - 30C - Sunny
Monday - 26C - Sunny with light showers
Tuesday - 22C Cloudy with sunny showers
Wednesday - 20C - Cloudy
Hay-on-Wye
Friday - 32C - Sunny
Saturday - 32C - Sunny
Sunday - 32C - Sunny
Monday - 26C - Sunny with light showers
Tuesday - 23C Sunny with light showers
Wednesday - 22C - Cloudy
Mid Glamorgan
The average rainfall for Mid Glamorgan this year is 895.3mm. This winter it had 551.2mm of average rainfall, 195.5mm of rainfall in spring and 148.6mm of rainfall so far this summer.
Mid Glamorgan faces hot spells this week with temperatures hitting 30C in places like Bridgend and Merthyr Tydfil. From Sunday temperatures start to cool down, around 20C, with a chance of showers and cloudier weather from Monday.
Merthyr Tydfil
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday - 29C - Sunny
Sunday - 28C - Sunny
Monday - 23C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 21C - Cloudy with light showers
Wednesday - 20C - Cloudy with light showers
Caerphilly
Friday - 31C - Sunny
Saturday - 30C - Sunny
Sunday - 29C - Sunny
Monday - 24C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 22C - Cloudy
Wednesday - 22C - Cloudy
Aberdare
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday - 30C - Sunny
Sunday - 29C - Sunny
Monday - 24C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 22C - Cloudy with light showers
Wednesday - 21C - Cloudy
Bridgend
Friday - 31C - Sunny
Saturday - 29C - Sunny
Sunday - 28C - Sunny
Monday - 23C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 22C - Cloudy
Wednesday - 22C - Cloudy
Dyfed
The average rainfall for Dyfed this year is 760.8mm. This winter it had 439.5mm of average rainfall, 166mm of rainfall in spring and 155.3mm of rainfall so far this summer.
Temperatures remain warm in Dyfed throughout the week, with places like Llandeilo reaching 31C and Carmarthen hitting 30C during the peak of the afternoon heat. Areas in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire will be cloudier on Monday, with risk of showers in Carmarthenshire in the afternoon, but still remaining hot.
Aberystwyth
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday -28C - Sunny
Sunday - 26C - Sunny
Monday - 22C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 20C - Cloudy with sunny intervals
Wednesday - 20C - Cloudy with sunny intervals
Carmarthen
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday - 28C - Sunny
Sunday - 28C - Sunny and partly cloudy
Monday - 22C - Cloudy with light showers
Tuesday - 20C - Cloudy with sunny intervals
Wednesday - 20C - Cloudy with sunny intervals
Pembroke
Friday - 30C - Sunny
Saturday - 28C - Sunny
Sunday - 27C - Sunny
Monday - 22C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 20C - Cloudy
Wednesday - 19C - Cloudy
West Glamorgan
The average rainfall for West Glamorgan this year is 766.3mm. This winter it had 444.8mm of average rainfall, 152.4mm of rainfall in spring and 169.1mm of rainfall so far this summer.
West Glamorgan remains warm throughout the week, with temperatures getting cooler over the weekend, followed by spells of light rain from Tuesday.
Port Talbot
Friday - 29C - Sunny
Saturday - 28C - Sunny
Sunday - 26C - Sunny and partly cloudy
Monday - 21C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 20C - Cloudy with light showers
Wednesday - 20C - Sunny
Swansea
Friday - 29C - Sunny
Saturday - 29C - Sunny
Sunday - 27C - Sunny and partly cloudy
Monday - 22C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 21C - Cloudy with light showers
Wednesday - 21C - Cloudy
Gwynedd
The average rainfall for Gwynedd this year is 894.2mm. This winter it had 513.9mm of average rainfall, 192.9mm of rainfall in spring and 187.4mm of rainfall so far this summer.
Temperatures reach 29C in some areas of Gwynedd this week. Expect high temperatures during the weekend, followed by cooler weather next week, with light showers in Bangor.
Bangor
Friday - 29C - Sunny
Saturday - 29C - Sunny
Sunday - 27C - Sunny and partly cloudy
Monday - 22C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 21C - Cloudy with light showers
Wednesday - 21C - Cloudy
Caernarfon
Friday - 28C - Sunny
Saturday - 28C - Sunny
Sunday - 27C - Sunny
Monday - 22C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 19C - Cloudy
Wednesday - 18C - Cloudy
Pwllheli
Friday - 28C - Sunny
Saturday - 26C - Sunny
Sunday - 25C - Sunny
Monday - 21C - Cloudy
Tuesday - 19C - Cloudy
Wednesday - 19C - Cloudy
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