Latvia enjoys second warmest winter in history

  • 2014-01-06
  • From wire reports, RIGA

With the average temperature of plus 2.2 degrees Celsius, a total of 4.5 degrees Celsius above the norm, December 2013 was the second warmest in its history, the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center reports.

The all-time warmest December was recorded in 2006, when the average temperature was 4.3 degrees Celsius, 6.6 degrees Celsius above the norm.

In September 2013, The Baltic Times reported how Latvia could be ready for its warmest winter in 100 years. Andris Viksne, head of forecasting for the Latvian meteorological department, said weather trends showed that the country’s winters were becoming warmer.

This year, particularly warm weather conditions were observed in the second half of the month, when the average temperature ranged from 6 to 8 degrees Celsius, in some locations - from 9 to 10 degrees Celsius above the norm.

The all-time coldest December was registered in 1978, when the average temperature was minus 10.9 degrees Celsius. In the 21st century, the coldest December in Latvia was recorded in 2002, when the average temperature was minus 7.6 degrees Celsius.