Rains to return after sunny, cold reprieve

However, Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) officials rushed Friday morning to evacuate some residents of Salaspils county in Riga’s rural suburbs, where they reported a rapid rise in the Mazā Jugla river, likely caused by the water released by the river Abze in the village of Suntazi, which washed away a dam-bridge Wednesday.

Meteorologists call for the sun to break through dissipating cloud cover Friday while high temperatures will hover between +3 and +7 degrees Celsius.

Overnight to Saturday the weather will remain clear and cold with slow winds of varying direction. Lows will drop to freezing and below with most of the land expected to stay in the 0 to -4 degree range, while western coastal districts may evade the freeze at between +1 and +3 degrees.

Highs Saturday will rise to between +3 and +8 degrees.

Overnight to Sunday a broad Atlantic cyclone will send a warm atmospheric front towards Latvia. Winds will turn from the south, southeast and gust up to 10-13 meters per second.

Low temperatures will stay between -3 and +2 degrees, up to +5 in Kurzeme, but then towards morning begin to warm up. Skies will become overcast and the first half of the day will see a new bout of rain reach Kurzeme.

Sunday is forecast to be overcast, with rain settling over the entire territory. Morning hours could bring wet snow to Vidzeme and Latgale.

Southwesterly winds will increase in strength, gusting to between 10-14 meters per second, while temperatures will float up again to between +7 and +12 degrees, possibly to +14 on the coasts.

Next week will stay warm and moist, but the presence of active cyclones over Europe make any precise predictions difficult. There is a chance that by mid-week temperatures may drop significantly and deliver a few days of real winter-like weather.