Latvia Braces for Heavy Snowfall and Frigid Temperatures
Latvia is preparing for a period of challenging winter weather, with heavy snowfall expected to sweep across the country beginning Friday, February 13th, and continuing through the night of Saturday, February 14th. The forecast follows a period of severe cold that has already prompted weather warnings across much of the nation.
Prolonged snowfall is already impacting parts of Sēlija and Latgale, as of Wednesday evening and continuing through Thursday night. However, Thursday itself is expected to see limited precipitation, with temperatures in southern Latgale potentially rising to 0 degrees Celsius.
The situation is expected to deteriorate significantly on Friday. As an east-northeast wind intensifies, it will begin to drive snow across the landscape. A large precipitation zone will move from the southwest, initially bringing light snow that will quickly escalate into heavier accumulations. By Saturday, many areas of Latvia are forecast to receive 10-20 centimeters of snow. Some southeastern regions may also experience rain and a temporary thaw.
Strong winds are also anticipated, with gusts reaching 10-15 meters per second on Friday, and increasing to as high as 20 meters per second along the Kurzeme coast of the Gulf of Riga. These conditions are likely to create hazardous travel conditions, and authorities are warning that some rural roads may become impassable due to snowdrifts starting Friday afternoon. Winds are expected to subside on Saturday.
While a brief thaw is possible in the southeastern part of the country, colder temperatures are expected to return on Sunday. Looking ahead to Monday night, temperatures in some areas could plummet below -25 degrees Celsius. Fluctuating air temperatures and continued precipitation are also possible throughout the coming week.
Earlier this month, Latvia experienced a severe cold snap, with temperatures dropping as low as -29 Celsius in some areas, and even -31 Celsius in southern districts. An orange alert – indicating a dangerous weather situation – was in effect across much of the south and east of the country, while a yellow alert – signifying potential danger – covered a large area to the north.
On Tuesday, February 10th, temperatures in some parts of the country were around -25 degrees Celsius, with a severe frost warning in effect for most of Latvia. In Riga, the minimum temperature at night was around -18 degrees Celsius in the city center, and up to -22 degrees Celsius in the suburbs, with a daytime high of around -9 degrees Celsius.
According to regulations set by the Cabinet of Ministers, children under the age of 12 are prohibited from attending educational institutions when the air temperature falls below -20 degrees Celsius, while students aged 13 and older are not permitted to attend school if the temperature drops to -25 degrees Celsius or lower.
