Riga, June 19 (LETA) - The beginning of meteorological summer has been recorded at only ten out of 25 observation stations, according to the Latvian Centre for Environment, Geology and Meteorology.

Meteorological summer starts when the average daily air temperature reaches +15 degrees C for five consecutive days.

Meteorological summer started in Daugavpils and Rezekne on April 17, in Dagda and Riga on June 3, and in Dobele, Gulbene, Jelgava, Jekabpils, Madona and Skriveri on June 13. The meteorological summer also started on June 13 for the country as a whole.

The other 15 observation stations have not yet had five consecutive days with an average air temperature of at least +15 degrees C this year, although some of them have had four such consecutive days.

The highest temperature recorded in Latvia so far this year was +28.4 degrees C on April 18 in Skriveri. The average daily air temperature on that date was 15 degrees above normal in some places.

In May, temperatures in the country did not exceed +23 degrees C, but the warmest day so far this month was June 16, when temperatures rose to +27 degrees C.

Last year, Latvia's meteorological summer generally started in mid-May. The earliest date on which meteorological summer started nationwide is May 9, 2018. Meteorological summer usually starts in the first half of June.

As reported, Saturday, June 21, will be the solstice and the start of the astronomical summer in the Earth's northern hemisphere. June 21 will be the longest day of the year.