The Climate of
Latvia
Vecgauja river, Carnikava
Climate Map
Climate map of Latvia
What is the climate of Latvia like?
Latvia is located in northern Europe and bounded on the east by Russia, north by Estonia, north and northwest by the Baltic Sea, south by Lithuania, and southeast by Belarus.
Latvia's climate is relatively temperate owing to the maritime influence of the Baltic Sea. Summers are warm and the weather in spring and autumn fairly mild. Mean July temperatures range from range from 18°C (64°F) in Liepāja to 17°C (62°F) in Daugavpils. Average temperatures in winter are reasonably mild for the latitude, they range from -1°C (30°F) in Liepāja, on the western coast, to -7°C (20°F) in Daugavpils in the southeast.
Latvia's coastal climate means the country experiences cloudiness, high humidity, and rainfall most of the year. Measured in Riga, annual rainfall ranges between 550 and 800 millimeters (22 and 31 inches).
Rainfall is common throughout the year with the heaviest rainfall falling in August or September. On average, only 72 days are sunny, 44 days are foggy, and it rains or snows 180 days. During severe spells of winter weather Latvia is dominated by cold winds from the interior of Russia and snowfall is common.
| Climate data for Liepāja | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 0.9 (33.6) | 1.1 (34.0) | 4.2 (39.6) | 10.4 (50.7) | 15.4 (59.7) | 18.6 (65.5) | 21.6 (70.9) | 21.6 (70.9) | 17.1 (62.8) | 11.2 (52.2) | 5.9 (42.6) | 2.6 (36.7) | 11.0 (51.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.0 (30.2) | −1.2 (29.8) | 1.3 (34.3) | 6.5 (43.7) | 11.2 (52.2) | 14.8 (58.6) | 17.9 (64.2) | 17.7 (63.9) | 13.8 (56.8) | 8.5 (47.3) | 4.1 (39.4) | 0.9 (33.6) | 8.0 (46.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −3.0 (26.6) | −3.4 (25.9) | −1.6 (29.1) | 2.5 (36.5) | 7.0 (44.6) | 11.0 (51.8) | 14.1 (57.4) | 13.8 (56.8) | 10.3 (50.5) | 5.8 (42.4) | 2.2 (36.0) | −0.8 (30.6) | 4.9 (40.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 61.0 (2.40) | 43.3 (1.70) | 42.3 (1.67) | 42.9 (1.69) | 38.8 (1.53) | 51.5 (2.03) | 70.9 (2.79) | 83.4 (3.28) | 77.5 (3.05) | 89.0 (3.50) | 83.5 (3.29) | 79.7 (3.14) | 755.6 (29.75) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Riga | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | −2.3 (27.9) | −1.7 (28.9) | 2.7 (36.9) | 9.8 (49.6) | 16.2 (61.2) | 20.1 (68.2) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.0 (69.8) | 16.3 (61.3) | 10.4 (50.7) | 3.9 (39.0) | 0.3 (32.5) | 9.9 (49.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −5.1 (22.8) | −4.7 (23.5) | −1.0 (30.2) | 5.4 (41.7) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.1 (59.2) | 17.0 (62.6) | 16.4 (61.5) | 12.2 (54.0) | 7.2 (45.0) | 1.7 (35.1) | −2.1 (28.2) | 6.1 (43.0) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −7.8 (18.0) | −7.6 (18.3) | −4.7 (23.5) | 1.0 (33.8) | 5.9 (42.6) | 10.0 (50.0) | 12.3 (54.1) | 11.8 (53.2) | 8.0 (46.4) | 4.0 (39.2) | −0.5 (31.1) | −4.4 (24.1) | 2.3 (36.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 33.7 (1.33) | 27.0 (1.06) | 27.9 (1.10) | 41.1 (1.62) | 42.5 (1.67) | 59.9 (2.36) | 74.3 (2.93) | 73.1 (2.88) | 78.9 (3.11) | 60.2 (2.37) | 57.3 (2.26) | 46.0 (1.81) | 620.9 (24.44) |
| Source: Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Daugavpils | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | −3.8 (25.2) | −2.5 (27.5) | 2.4 (36.3) | 10.4 (50.7) | 18.1 (64.6) | 21.4 (70.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 21.5 (70.7) | 16.1 (61.0) | 9.9 (49.8) | 3.2 (37.8) | −1.3 (29.7) | 9.8 (49.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −6.7 (19.9) | −5.9 (21.4) | −1.8 (28.8) | 5.2 (41.4) | 12.1 (53.8) | 15.7 (60.3) | 16.9 (62.4) | 15.9 (60.6) | 11.2 (52.2) | 6.1 (43.0) | 1.0 (33.8) | −3.8 (25.2) | 5.5 (41.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −10.0 (14.0) | −9.4 (15.1) | −5.7 (21.7) | 0.7 (33.3) | 6.3 (43.3) | 10.1 (50.2) | 11.7 (53.1) | 10.9 (51.6) | 7.2 (45.0) | 2.9 (37.2) | −1.3 (29.7) | −6.7 (19.9) | 1.4 (34.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 36 (1.4) | 27 (1.1) | 34 (1.3) | 40 (1.6) | 51 (2.0) | 73 (2.9) | 83 (3.3) | 74 (2.9) | 66 (2.6) | 52 (2.0) | 52 (2.0) | 46 (1.8) | 634 (25.0) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, (1996), Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania: country studies. Claitor's Pub. Division. ISBN 0844408514
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
Latvia
In summary:
Latvia has a mostly maritime climate with moderate rainfall. The average temperature in July is between 17°C and 18°C (62–64°F). In January the average temperature ranges between –3°C and 7°C (31–44°F). Rainfall is common throughout the year with the heaviest rainfall falling in August or September.