The lowest air temperature in the LVĜMC observation network was -10.5 degrees on December 13 in Bauska, while the maximum temperature was recorded on December 20 in Daugavgrīva, where the thermometer rose to +9.7 degrees.
Although the temperature was below normal for several days in the first half of December, the average temperature for the rest of the month, and especially in the second half, was significantly higher than normal. In December, 22 heat records were achieved, including on December 16, the maximum temperature record of all Latvia was broken in Mērsrag with +9.5 degrees.
The average amount of precipitation in Latvia in December was 51.3 millimeters or 96% of the average for many years. The most precipitation – 119 millimeters – was in Pāvilost, but the least rain and snow fell at the Jelgava observation station, where 24.5 millimeters of precipitation was recorded during the month.
The thickest snow cover at the observation stations was 15 centimeters on December 16 in Zoseni, Vidzeme highlands.
Last month, the sun shone less often than usual in December, in places in the western and central parts of the country, the number of sunny hours was even 50% less than normal.
The average relative humidity was 89% – from 85% in Riga and Ventspils to 94% in Priekuli. The strongest wind gusts – 28.5 meters per second – were observed on December 16 in Ventspils.
It has already been reported that December in Latvia was the eleventh month in a row with an average temperature above normal. The year 2024 became one of the two warmest in the history of Latvian meteorological observations; its average air temperature was approximately +8.8 degrees – similar to 2020.