2019 Weather In Review: Gauley River National Recreation Area

Photo by USAF - Andrew Lee (CC by 2.0)

In order to better understand ecosystem health in national parks, the Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network measures ecosystem "vital signs" in select national parks in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. One of those vital signs is weather and climate. Below is a summary of 2019 weather conditions at Gauley River National Recreation Area.

In all, 2019 was extremely warm but had normal precipitation. The year ended as the 3rd warmest and 61st wettest since 1895. Weather data collected from surrounding areas from 1895–2019 show increasing trends in annual average temperature (+0.07 °F per decade) and annual total precipitation (+0.10 inches per decade).

Information in this brief represents county-scale weather data averaged from all of the counties surrounding the park. These include Fayette and Nicholas counties, West Virginia. Individual weather station data may vary from what is reported here. Data are available from the National Climate Data Center.

Temperature

In total, 2019 was the 3rd warmest year at the park since 1895, and all seasons were warmer than long-term averages (Figure 1). Nine months had higher than normal temperatures, and February and September were more than 6 °F above normal (Table 1).

Figure 1. Seasonal and annual temperature rankings for counties surrounding the park. An arrow at the top of the figure would represent the warmest year/season on record (since 1895); at the bottom, the coldest year/season on record.

| Month/Year | Average temperature (°F) | Departure from
long-term average (°F) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | 31.8 | +0.9 |
| February | 39.6 | +6.6 |
| March | 39.6 | -1.8 |
| April | 55.5 | +4.2 |
| May | 65.3 | +5.2 |
| June | 66.6 | -0.8 |
| July | 73.3 | +2.4 |
| August | 71.1 | +1.1 |
| September | 70.4 | +6.2 |
| October | 57.7 | +4.2 |
| November | 38.9 | -3.7 |
| December | 38.5 | +4.9 |
| 2019 | 54.0 | +2.5 |

Table 1. Monthly and annual average temperature and departure from long-term averages. Departures from average show how different 2019 was compared to relevant averages from 1895-2018.

Precipitation

In total, 2019 was normal year for precipitation. That said, the summer was extremely dry while the autumn was very wet (Figure 2). The year ended as the 61st wettest year at the park since 1895 (Figure 2), with the area receiving 48.1 inches of total precipitation (Table 2).

Figure 2. Seasonal and annual precipitation rankings for counties surrounding the park. An arrow at the top of the figure would represent the wettest year/season on record (since 1895); at the bottom, the driest year/season on record.

| Month/Year | Total precipitation (in.) | Departure from
long-term average (in.) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | 3.7 | 0.0 |
| February | 5.4 | +2.1 |
| March | 2.7 | -1.6 |
| April | 3.5 | -0.4 |
| May | 6.1 | +1.6 |
| June | 4.4 | -0.4 |
| July | 4.1 | -1.4 |
| August | 3.5 | -1.0 |
| September | 0.6 | -2.9 |
| October | 6.1 | +2.9 |
| November | 3.1 | -0.2 |
| December | 4.9 | +1.3 |
| 2019 | 48.1 | 0.0 |

Table 2. Monthly and annual total precipitation and departure from long-term averages. Departures from average show how different 2019 was compared to relevant averages from 1895-2018.

Temperature and Precipitation Trends

(1895-2019)

Data from 1895–2019 for Fayette and Nicholas counties, WV show increasing trends in annual average temperature (+0.07 °F per decade) and annual total precipitation (+0.10 inches per decade; Figure 3).

Figure 3. Annual average temperature (°F) and annual total precipitation (in.) for counties surrounding the park from 1895–2018. Dashed lines represent linear trends.

Climate Change

Today's rapid climate change challenges national parks in ways we've never seen before. Wildlife migrations are altered, increasingly destructive storms threaten cultural resources and park facilities, habitat is disrupted—the list goes on. Click here to discover how climate change is affecting our nation's treasures, what the National Park Service is doing about it, and how you can help.

For more information, contact Mid-Atlantic Network Biologist, Jeb Wofford or Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network Program Manager, Matt Marshall.

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