Riga, Feb 24 (LETA) - As the average daily air temperature rises above zero, the meteorological winter has ended and spring has begun on the Kurzeme coast, data from the Latvian Centre for Environment, Geology and Meteorology show.

In Liepaja, Pavilosta and Ventspils, meteorological winter started only on February 8. It was the first day of a frost period of almost two weeks. Since February 22, the average daily air temperature at these observation stations has been above freezing, marking the beginning of meteorological spring.

For the country as a whole, meteorological winter arrived on December 4, as the average air temperature in Latvia was below zero on December 4-10. However, in some parts of western and central Latvia, winter did not set in until February.

In Riga, meteorological winter began on February 7, with average daily temperatures in the capital remaining negative until February 23. This week, the beginning of meteorological spring is expected in both Riga and the country as a whole.

Meteorological spring occurs when the average air temperature is above zero for at least five consecutive days. The beginning of February marked the middle of the astronomical winter and the end of the darkest quarter of the year, with the beginning of the solar spring on February 5.

On March 1, the calendar spring will begin, while March 20 will mark the start of the astronomical spring.