Climate in Latvia

In Latvia, a flat country overlooking the Baltic Sea, there is a semi-continental climate, very cold in winter, and mild and quite rainy in summer. The coastal areas are a bit more temperate, but also more humid and windy, while the eastern area has a slightly more continental climate.

Precipitation is not abundant, but it is frequent and well distributed throughout the year, however, in terms of quantity, there's a relative minimum in the early months of the year. In winter it often snows. The coast is rainier than the interior.

The sun in Latvia is rarely seen from November to February, while from May to August, it shines for a decent amount of time (the days are very long, so the total amount of sunshine is not low, even though the percentage is not very high). On average, there are around 2,000 hours of sunshine per year on the west coast, almost 1,900 hours in Riga, and almost 1,800 hours in the eastern part of the country.

The climate in detail

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• The seasons - Liepaja, Riga
• When to go
• What to pack

The seasons

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Winter is cold and gray, with frequent snowfalls, though usually not abundant. Average temperatures decrease as you move away from the Baltic Sea, and in February, the coldest month, they are around -1 °C (30 °F) in Liepaja and Ventspils, on the west coast, around -2 °C (28.5 °F) in Cape Kolka (at the entrance of the Gulf of Riga), and -2.5 °C (27.5 °F) in Riga, while they reach almost -5 °C (23 °F) in Gulbene and Rezekne, in the far east.
However, the average temperatures are only the result of different situations. Western currents of Atlantic origin are damp but less cold, and can raise the temperature to a few degrees above freezing (0 °C or 32 °F).
On the other hand, cold air masses from Russia or from the Arctic may even lower the temperature below -20 °C (-4 °F); in the worst moments, the temperature can plunge to about -35 °C (-31 °F).

Spring arrives quite late: in early April, the country may still be under the snow. By mid-April, temperatures become usually milder. In May, the weather can still be cold, especially at the beginning of the month, but the temperature rises over the course of the month, and it can even exceed 20 °C (68 °F) in the warmest days.

Summer, from June to August, is mild on the west coast, with highs around 21.5 °C (70.5 °F) in July and August, while it is slightly warmer in the interior, where maximum temperatures reach 23.5 °C (74 °F).
Summer is also the rainiest season, especially in inland areas, where thunderstorms can occur in the afternoon.
Sometimes, warm air masses from the south-east can raise the temperature, which can approach or exceed 30 °C (86 °F) for a few days.

In autumn, rainfall is frequent and the sky is often gray. The temperature gradually decreases: in October, it's already cold, and in November, the first snowfalls occur.

Liepaja

On the west coast (see Ventspils, Liepaja), which, as we have said, is the mildest part of the country, the average temperatures are just below freezing in January and February and around 17.5/18 °C (63.5/64.5 °F) in July and August.

In Liepaja, precipitation amounts to 695 millimeters (27.5 inches) per year, with a maximum in autumn.

Riga

The capital city, Riga, is located on the coast as well, but in the Gulf of the same name, which is small and closed and therefore receives a less pronounced maritime influence, so much so that the sea can freeze in winter.

In Riga, precipitation amounts to 675 mm (26.5 in) per year, with a maximum in July (also due to afternoon thunderstorms).



The Baltic Sea in Latvia is cold to swim in: in the Gulf of Riga, the sea temperature is around 1 °C (34 °F) in February and March, and it reaches a maximum of 17.5 °C (63 °F) in July and 18.5 °C (65 °F) in August; on the west coast, it is just warmer.

When to go

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The best season to visit Latvia is summer, from June to August. The temperatures are mild during the day, and lend themselves to outdoor activities, while nights remain cool. There is a moderate amount of rainfall, which occurs on average one day out of three.
If you want to visit the country in its winter appearance, February is preferable to December because it has longer days, although it is often even colder.

What to pack

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In winter: bring very warm clothes, such as a down jacket, a hat, gloves, and a scarf.
In summer: bring clothes for spring and autumn, being ready to add or remove the outer layer, a T-shirt, but also long pants, a jacket and sweatshirt, and a raincoat or umbrella.

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See also the temperatures month by month