Bauska sees second wettest July since 1945

The Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre has reported that this July was the fifth wettest in the country since records began in 1924. The average precipitation reached 123.2 millimetres, which is 163 per cent of the monthly norm. Rainfall was heavier in the western and central regions than in the east.

Several stations registered their wettest July ever. In Liepāja, Ventspils and Vičaki, the month broke all previous records. Bauska saw its second wettest July since 1945, while Stende ranked third. The highest total was recorded in Ventspils at 222.3 millimetres, or 350 per cent of normal, whereas Rēzekne received the least at 57.9 millimetres, or 87 per cent.

On average, there were 13 days with precipitation of at least one millimetre. On 18 days, at least one station experienced heavy rain of ten millimetres or more. The wettest day was 20 July, with a national average of 21.1 millimetres, and every station reported rain. Ventspils saw 78.3 millimetres that day, Stende 73.9 millimetres, while Lielpeči had just 2.6 millimetres. Another rainy day was 8 July, with an average of 19.9 millimetres, ranging from five millimetres in Dagda to 62.8 millimetres in Ventspils.

The drought and moisture index remained within normal bounds at many stations, but nearly all stations in Zemgale and Kurzeme indicated wet or extremely wet conditions. Sunshine duration was below the 1991-2020 average everywhere except in eastern Latvia, where it was slightly above.

The average air temperature in July was +17.4 degrees, which is 0.4 degrees below the norm. The minimum temperature of +7.2 degrees was recorded on 23 July in Zosēni, while the maximum of +32.6 degrees was observed on 31 July in Jelgava, the only record broken during the month.

Average relative humidity was 81 per cent, ranging from 77 per cent in Alūksne and Rīga to 85 per cent in Kolka and Pāvilosta. The strongest wind gust of 23.2 metres per second occurred on 6 July in Liepāja.