Meteorological autumn officially begins in Latvia
Latvia's Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre has confirmed that meteorological autumn began in the country on September 10. This is later than last year but earlier than the long-term average.
According to Latvia's Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, meteorological autumn began in the country on September 10 this year. The determination is based on the criterion that the average daily air temperature across the country has stayed below +15 degrees Celsius for five consecutive days — with the first of those five days marking the official start of autumn.
Notably, air temperatures still reached +27 degrees on September 9, but a markedly cooler spell set in the very next day. On Monday, September 14, the average temperature across the country rose again to +14.8 degrees, though this figure remains provisional, as it is based on operational data that has not yet undergone quality control.
Comparison with previous years
Over the 1991–2020 norm period, meteorological autumn in Latvia has on average begun on August 31. Last year it arrived unusually early, with the criterion met between August 20 and 28. In 2023, by contrast, the record for the latest start to autumn was set, as the criterion was not reached until October 4.
Different ways of dividing the seasons
Meteorologists note there are several methods for defining seasons. Calendar autumn always begins on September 1 and runs through November 30. Astronomical autumn will begin this year on September 23 and end with the winter solstice on December 21. Solar autumn already began on August 6, marking the end of the year's brightest quarter, while solar winter — the three darkest months of the year — will run from November 6 to February 4.
Although earlier forecasts had predicted a warm and wet autumn, the latest data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts points to a growing likelihood of drier and cooler periods this autumn as well.
