The rivers of Latvia are mostly covered with ice, with only the faster sections continuing to form ice and the movement of slush, according to summarized information from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LEGMC), LETA reports.
Walking on river ice is dangerous, as the ice cover is uneven and covered with snow, making it difficult to assess its condition. In some areas, ice ridges have formed on the rivers, and in many places, there are open sections. Snow hinders the increase in ice thickness, and in severe frost, cracks may appear in the ice.
In previous weeks, ice jams formed on the rivers in various locations. Currently, the water level fluctuates, but the overall river discharge is decreasing.
On January 12, the ice thickness on the Lielupe at Sloka was 12 centimeters, on January 13 on the Tūja at Zosena it was six centimeters, and on January 14 on the Salaca above Salacgrīva it was nine centimeters.
The ice cover on the lakes is generally thicker. On January 13, the average ice thickness on Lake Burtnieks reached 15 centimeters, on January 14, a 10-centimeter layer of ice was measured on Lakes Age and Dune, while on Lakes Birža and Cerpa in the Krāslava region, the ice thickness increased to 25 centimeters.
The sea is mostly free of ice, with ice observed only near the shore. The water level in the sea is on average 30 centimeters lower than usual. The water temperature off the coast of Latvia is 0..+2 degrees.
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