Storm Lashes Valmiera Municipality on Thursday Night
On a hot summer day, Valmiera municipality in Latvia was hit by a sudden and intense weather event on July 3, 2025. The weather system involved strong winds and large hailstones, causing quite a stir in the region.
According to weather reports, Latvia experienced widespread thunderstorms, heavy rain showers, and strong wind gusts on that day. The weather event was a result of unstable atmospheric conditions that favoured the development of severe convective storms.
The location of the hailstorm was in Kocēni, Valmiera municipality. The strong winds blew in gusts up to 10-15 meters per second, and large hailstones fell, adding to the turbulence. A yellow alert for thunderstorms with strong winds of 15-17 m/s was in effect in part of Vidzeme until 10 p.m. on July 3, 2025.
The incident resulted in a flurry of calls to emergency services. Most calls received on that day were from Valmiera municipality, with the majority coming from the town of Valmiera itself. Volunteer firefighters responded to ten more calls on July 3, 2025, to assist with the aftermath of the strong winds.
Despite the weather event, Friday in Latvia will see a drop in temperatures, with the maximum air temperature expected to be between +17 to +22 C. Friday is forecast to be mostly clear, offering a respite from the stormy conditions experienced the previous day.
[1] National Weather Service. (2025). Summer Thunderstorms and their Associated Hazards. Retrieved from https://www.weather.gov/safety/thunderstorms
[2] Met Office. (2025). Understanding Hailstorms. Retrieved from https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/thunderstorms/hailstorms
- The meteorological reports on that day revealed that Vidzeme region, specifically Valmiera municipality, was under a yellow alert for thunderstorms with strong winds due to intense weather-forecasting of severe convective storms.
- In the aftermath of the storm, various media outlets shared footage and updates of the hailstorm that occurred in Kocēni, Valmiera municipality, highlighting the importance of understanding hailstorms and their associated hazards, as reported by the Met Office.
