The upcoming weekend and the first half of next week in Latvia are expected to bring the strongest frosts of this winter, and the Gulf of Riga will begin to be covered with ice, according to the latest weather forecasts, reports LETA.
In the coming days, an anticyclone will strengthen in Northern Europe, and colder Arctic air will start to flow into the Baltic countries. On the last Wednesday of January, heavy snowfall is expected in southern Latvia, after which there will be little precipitation, and the snow cover will not become thicker; however, the thickness of ice in rivers and lakes will increase, the Gulf of Riga will begin to freeze, and the ice formation process will intensify in the open sea off the coast of Kurzeme.
The harshest frosts are expected from January 30. It is forecasted that in most parts of the country, nighttime temperatures will drop below -20 degrees, and in some areas in the east, it may reach -30 degrees. During the day, temperatures may also fluctuate around -20 degrees in some places.
However, forecasts may still change, as the anticyclone may give way to a cyclone. In that case, due to cloudiness and wind, the frosts will be less severe.
So far, the lowest air temperature recorded this winter in the observation network of the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LEGMC) was -24.6 degrees in the morning of January 25 in Madona and -24.7 degrees at night on January 20–21 in Daugavpils.
According to the data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, this week and next week in Latvia will be 6–10 degrees colder than the climatic norm.
At the same time, on February 4, the darkest quarter of the year will end — the so-called solar winter, and February 5 will be the first day of solar spring. Astronomical spring will begin on March 20, and meteorological spring will start when the average daily temperature exceeds zero for at least five consecutive days.
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