March in Europe could be one of the warmest on record

RIGA - Air temperatures in Europe are expected to be well above the average in the coming weeks, which could make March one of the warmest on record, according to the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

The biggest temperature anomaly is forecast for north-eastern Europe - the Baltic Sea region, Belarus and north-western Russia could see average monthly temperatures up to five degrees above average.

Precipitation is forecast to be above the multi-year average in northern Europe and below it in parts of southern Europe.

In Latvia, precipitation is expected at times in late February and early March, mainly rainfall. Air temperatures will be mainly in the range of -3...+6 degrees over the next week, but after March 5 they may rise above +10 degrees at times.

The monthly average air temperature in Latvia in March 1991-2020 is +0.2 degrees. The average daily air temperature usually rises from -2 degrees at the beginning of the month to +3 degrees in the last days of March.

According to the Latvian Center for Environment, Geology and Meteorology, the warmest March on record was in 2007, when the average monthly air temperature in Latvia was +4.4 degrees.