When to travel to Latvia and Riga: weather and seasons

Latvia and its capital, Riga, are located in a temperate climate zone and weather conditions are determined by the Atlantic air masses, the Baltic Sea and the Riga Sea Gulf stretching deep into the country. The Latvian climate is maritime and temperate in nature, with cool summers and wet, relatively moderate winters. The four seasons are of near-equal length. Snowfall is common in the winter months.

The summer climate in Latvia is warm with an average temperature of 17°C, the peak occasionally going as high as 30°C. During spring and autumn weather is relatively mild but variable, generally humid with the average temperature around 10°C.

Spring and summer, from May to September, are the best times to visit, with more daylight, fresher food and plenty of folk festivals. The weather in early spring might be somewhat discouraging because of the slush resulting from the melting snow. July and August is the peak tourist season, when hotels are often fully booked. Rain often comes in July and it may increase as the summer progresses. Light to medium weight clothes are suitable wear during the summer months.

Winter weather can be extreme in Latvia, but this period also sees the most theatre performances and concerts and is a skier's dream. The coldest months are January and February averaging -4°C (25°F) during the day. In winter snow falls from December until March. In recent years winter temperatures have tended to be milder, seldom falling below around the -5°C mark, and temperatures inland are generally lower than near the coast.

Although a city of the north, Riga's climate is influenced by its proximity to the sea, and along with the coast is temperate, with pleasant, cool summers and damp winters; eastern Latvia is continental, with warmer summers and harsher winters.

However, being near to the sea brings Latvia high levels of humidity and precipitation, with average annual precipitation of 566 millimetres in Riga. Some kind of precipitation can be expected 180 days per year – on average every other day (in summer it rains rarely, during autumn it rains more often, but in winter it may snow every day).

Another thing to consider is the amount of daylight when you plan to visit:the length of the day in Latvia in winter is around 6-7 hours, in summer 17-18 hours, depending on the location of the sun over the horizon.

Climate in Latvia

Fahrenheit and centigrade, inches and millimetres, average values.

Festivals

Latvia has many festivals, religious holidays and events that are worth seeing if you have the chance.

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