First half of summer in Kurzeme – rainiest in meteorological history

Following a spring that was the second driest since 1924, Latvia has seen an exceptionally rainy June and July. According to data from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, some areas in Kurzeme have recorded the rainiest first half of summer in the entire history of meteorological observations.

Spring precipitation across the country averaged only half of the norm, and the period from last September to this May was also the second driest since measurements began. In June, precipitation remained below normal in parts of the country, but in Vičaki (Ventspils municipality), Kuldīga, and Sīļi (Līvāni municipality), June ranked among the three rainiest on record.

Early July was particularly wet – in the first ten days, ten observation stations exceeded the entire July norm, with the heaviest rainfall in Kurzeme. By July 21, Ventspils had already experienced its second wettest July, while Pāvilosta and Stende saw their third wettest. Although July is not over yet, Vičaki in Ventspils municipality already has the rainiest June–July period on record; Liepāja and Ventspils have the second rainiest, and Kuldīga and Bauska the third.

The heaviest downpours occurred on July 8 and 20 in Ventspils, where daily precipitation reached 80 millimetres, with 60 millimetres falling in four hours on the evening of July 20. At the Stende observation station, 40 millimetres fell in three hours and 72 millimetres in eight hours on the evening of July 20. This summer, Latvia has already seen 25 days with heavy precipitation (at least 10 millimetres per day) recorded in at least one observation station.