Weather by month for Riga, the best months to go and how Latvia's regions differ, scored from 10 years of climate data.
Jun
The highest month scores: comfortable temperatures, little rain and plenty of sun.
Highs 22°C · 11 rain days
May, Jul, Aug, Sep
Still good weather, just not quite the top months.
Highs 17°C to 22°C · 10–16 rain days
Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
The weakest weather of the year: too hot, too cold or too wet.
Highs 0°C to 11°C · 11–15 rain days
Weather by month
Average highs and lows, rain days, sunshine, sea temperature and our month score out of 10.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0°C / -5°C | 14 days (55 mm) | 2.2 h/day | 1°C | 0.7/10 |
| February | 2°C / -3°C | 11 days (47 mm) | 4.2 h/day | 0°C | 1.7/10 |
| March | 6°C / -2°C | 11 days (43 mm) | 7.0 h/day | 2°C | 2.5/10 |
| April | 11°C / 2°C | 11 days (45 mm) | 10.1 h/day | 6°C | 4.3/10 |
| May | 17°C / 7°C | 10 days (53 mm) | 12.8 h/day | 11°C | 7.4/10 |
| Best month: June | 22°C / 12°C | 11 days (69 mm) | 13.9 h/day | 17°C | 7.7/10 |
| July | 22°C / 14°C | 16 days (89 mm) | 13.2 h/day | 20°C | 6.9/10 |
| August | 22°C / 14°C | 13 days (89 mm) | 11.4 h/day | 20°C | 7.1/10 |
| September | 18°C / 11°C | 12 days (64 mm) | 9.1 h/day | 19°C | 7.4/10 |
| October | 11°C / 5°C | 15 days (74 mm) | 5.5 h/day | 12°C | 3.0/10 |
| November | 5°C / 2°C | 13 days (59 mm) | 2.6 h/day | 8°C | 0.9/10 |
| December | 2°C / -2°C | 14 days (50 mm) | 1.7 h/day | 4°C | 0.5/10 |
Figures for Riga; the country's best months are weighted across its cities. Best months are highlighted. How we score months
Month by month
0°C / -5°C · 14 rain days · 2.2 h sun · sea 1°C
Daytime highs sit at -0.1°C and lows drop to -4.5°C, with 13.5 rain or snow days. New Year's Day opens the month and the scores call it a tough time to visit, with just 0.7 out of 10. Short daylight (only 2.2 sun hours) and cold make this a month for snow rather than sightseeing.
2°C / -3°C · 11 rain days · 4.2 h sun · sea 0°C
Highs reach 1.7°C and lows stay below freezing at -3.3°C. Rain days fall to 11.2, but it's still mostly snow, and sun hours are low at 4.2. The score of 1.7 marks it as a month to plan around rather than build a trip on, unless you want winter conditions.
6°C / -2°C · 11 rain days · 7.0 h sun · sea 2°C
Highs climb to 5.6°C with lows of -1.7°C, and rain days drop to 10.9. International Women's Day falls on 8 March. The score of 2.5 still reads as a weak month: it's a transition period, cold and often grey, before spring properly arrives.
11°C / 2°C · 11 rain days · 10.1 h sun · sea 6°C
Highs reach 10.9°C and lows turn positive at 2.2°C, with 11.3 rain days. Easter weekend falls early this month. The score rises to 4.3, an 'ok' verdict, as the weather starts to turn and daylight stretches to 10.1 sun hours.
17°C / 7°C · 10 rain days · 12.8 h sun · sea 11°C
Highs hit 17°C and lows average 6.9°C, with rain days dropping to 9.5, the lowest of the year. Labour Day and the Restoration of Independence Day both fall in May. The score jumps to 7.4, a 'good' rating, making this a strong month to visit.
22°C / 12°C · 11 rain days · 13.9 h sun · sea 17°C
Highs reach 21.9°C and lows climb to 12.4°C. Rain days are 11.1 and sun hours peak at 13.9. Jāņi and Līgo Day, Latvia's midsummer festival, fall on 23–24 June. The score of 7.7 makes June the top-rated month of the year.
22°C / 14°C · 16 rain days · 13.2 h sun · sea 20°C
Highs stay around 22.4°C with lows of 14.3°C, but rain days climb to 15.8 and rainfall reaches 89mm, the wettest month alongside August. The Sea Festival falls on 11 July. The score of 6.9 is still 'good', despite the higher chance of showers.
22°C / 14°C · 13 rain days · 11.4 h sun · sea 20°C
Highs match July at 22.4°C with lows of 13.8°C. Rain days ease slightly to 13.3, though rainfall stays at 89mm. Sea temperature peaks at 20.3°C, the warmest of the year for swimming. The score of 7.1 keeps August in the 'good' category.
18°C / 11°C · 12 rain days · 9.1 h sun · sea 19°C
Highs drop to 17.8°C and lows to 10.5°C, with rain days at 11.7. Sea temperature stays warm at 18.6°C. Knowledge Day opens the school year on 1 September. The score of 7.4 shows this is still a strong month, with fewer crowds than summer.
11°C / 5°C · 15 rain days · 5.5 h sun · sea 12°C
Highs fall to 11°C and lows to 5.3°C, with rain days rising to 14.5 and sun hours dropping to 5.5. Official Language Day falls on 15 October. The score drops sharply to 3, a tough month as autumn weather sets in with shorter days and more rain.
5°C / 2°C · 13 rain days · 2.6 h sun · sea 8°C
Highs reach only 5.4°C and lows sit at 1.5°C, with 13.4 rain days and just 2.6 sun hours. Lāčplēsis Day and the Proclamation of the Republic fall in November. The score of 0.9 marks this as a cold, dark, wet month with little to recommend for outdoor travel.
2°C / -2°C · 14 rain days · 1.7 h sun · sea 4°C
Highs hit 2°C and lows drop to -1.7°C, with 14.2 rain or snow days and only 1.7 sun hours, the lowest of the year. Christmas and New Year's Eve fall this month. The score of 0.5 is the lowest of the year, though some travellers come specifically for snow and festive markets.
Regional differences
Average daytime high each month, coloured by that city's own month score.
| City | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riga | 0°C | 2°C | 6°C | 11°C | 17°C | 22°C | 22°C | 22°C | 18°C | 11°C | 5°C | 2°C |
| Cēsis | -1°C | 0°C | 4°C | 10°C | 16°C | 21°C | 21°C | 21°C | 17°C | 10°C | 4°C | 1°C |
| Sigulda | -1°C | 1°C | 5°C | 10°C | 16°C | 21°C | 22°C | 22°C | 17°C | 10°C | 5°C | 1°C |
Best Good OK Tough weather
By trip type
City sightseeing
June is the best month for exploring Riga and other towns. Highs reach 21.9°C with 13.9 hours of sun a day, so you get long, bright days for walking around without the heavier July-August rain.
Beach
July and August are the warmest months for the coast, with highs of 22.4°C and sea temperatures around 20.2-20.3°C, the only months when the Baltic Sea is comfortable for swimming.
Hiking & nature
May suits hiking well. Daytime highs reach 17°C, rain falls on just 9.5 days, and sunshine climbs to 12.8 hours a day, giving cooler, drier trail conditions before the summer crowds and rain arrive.
Events calendar
Public holidays: New Year's Day (1 Jan), Commemoration Day of Defenders of the Barricades in 1991 (20 Jan), Day of the International (de jure) Recognition of the Republic of Latvia (26 Jan)
Public holidays: World Non-Governmental Organization Day (27 Feb)
Public holidays: National Partisan Armed Resistance Remembrance Day (2 Mar), International Women's Day (8 Mar), National Resistance Movement Remembrance Day (17 Mar), Commemoration Day of Victims of Communist Terror (25 Mar)
Public holidays: Good Friday (3 Apr), Easter Sunday (5 Apr), Easter Monday (6 Apr), Latgale Congress Day (27 Apr)
Public holidays: Day of the Convocation of the Constitutional Assembly of the Republic of Latvia (1 May), Labour Day (1 May), Day of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia (4 May), Day of the Defeat of Nazism and Commemoration Day of Victims of World War II (8 May), Europe Day (9 May), Mother's Day (10 May), International Day of the Family (15 May), Firefighter and Rescuer Day (17 May), Pentecost (24 May)
Public holidays: International Day for Protection of Children (1 Jun), Commemoration Day of Victims of Communist Terror (14 Jun), Day of the Occupation of the Republic of Latvia (17 Jun), Medical Worker Day (21 Jun), Heroes' Commemoration Day (Anniversary of the Battle of Cēsis) (22 Jun), Līgo Day (23 Jun), Jāņi Day (24 Jun)
Public holidays: Commemoration Day of Genocide Against the Jews (4 Jul), Day of the Sea Festival (11 Jul)
Public holidays: Latvian Freedom Fighters' Remembrance Day (11 Aug), Day of the Passing of the Constitutional Law on the Status of the Republic of Latvia as a State (21 Aug), Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism (23 Aug)
Public holidays: Knowledge Day (1 Sep), Father's Day (13 Sep), Baltic Unity Day (22 Sep)
Public holidays: International Day of Older Persons (1 Oct), Teachers' Day (5 Oct), Official Language Day (15 Oct)
Public holidays: Border Guards Day (7 Nov), Lāčplēsis Day (11 Nov), Day of the Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia (18 Nov), Remembrance Day of the Tragedy of 21 November 2013 (21 Nov)
Public holidays: Police Day (5 Dec), Commemoration Day of Victims of Genocide Against the Latvian People By the Totalitarian Communist Regime (6 Dec), Christmas Eve (24 Dec), Christmas Day (25 Dec), Second day of Christmas (26 Dec), New Year's Eve (31 Dec)
Keep planning
FAQ
Yes, August scores 7.1 out of 10 and is rated good. Days reach 22.4°C and the sea warms to 20.3°C, the warmest of the year along with July. It does bring 13.3 rain days and 89mm of rain, so pack a light rain jacket.
Yes, June is the top-rated month, scoring 7.7 out of 10. Highs reach 21.9°C with 13.9 hours of sun per day, the most sunshine of any month. Rain is moderate at 11.1 days and 69mm, lower than the July and August totals.
No, October is rated avoid with a score of 3 out of 10. Highs drop to 11°C, sunshine falls to 5.5 hours a day, and rain picks up to 14.5 days and 74mm. The sea also cools fast, down to 12.3°C from September's 18.6°C.
No, January scores only 0.7 out of 10 and is rated avoid. Highs sit at -0.1°C with lows of -4.5°C, and sunshine is minimal at 2.2 hours a day. The sea temperature is just 1.1°C, so this is a cold, dark month rather than a beach or outdoor-sightseeing one.
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