Weather locations in Latvia

Latvia lies between the Baltic Sea and the Russian plain, and its climate is a cold-continental version of the North European type. The sea moderates the winter, but the country gets rather less of the mild westerly influence of nearby Scandinavia.

Main climate types

Riga is classed as humid continental, though the coastal zone is transitional towards the maritime climate found in Estonia to the north. The Gulf of Riga and the ice-free Baltic keep winter from getting as severe as inland eastern Latvia, and the inland districts away from the water see both colder winters and warmer summers. Snow cover is normal on the coastal lowland for much of the winter.

Temperatures

Riga averages about minus 3 degrees in January and 18 degrees in July, and roughly the same applies across most of the country; further inland January means drop to about minus 5. Cold snaps in January and February bring several days below minus 15, while the highest summer temperatures, often near 30, come in July inland. Spring and autumn nights are noticeably colder than the daytime suggests.

Rainfall

Annual rainfall is about 700 millimetres in Riga and similar in the east, rising past 800 millimetres in the western highlands of Kurzeme and on the eastern uplands. Rain is spread fairly evenly, with a slight maximum in the warm months when thunderstorms build, and sometimes a dry spell in early spring. Snow lies for 60 to 100 days a year, mainly from late December to late March.

When to go

Summer, from June to August, is the warmest and most productive time, with long days, the berry season and the beaches if the weather turns. For snow, the best months are usually the last week of January to the first of March. Winter days are short and grey, and the coastal towns are quiet, but clear nights away from town lights are the best chance of seeing the northern lights.