Latvia has a cool temperate climate with strong seasonal contrast: warm, relatively short summers and cold, often snowy winters. Most of the country is classified as humid continental (Dfb) under Köppen-Geiger, with coastal areas around the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga moderated by maritime influence. Because Latvia is a small country with broadly similar climate conditions, the main differences residents notice are between the coast, the interior lowlands, and the slightly cooler eastern regions. Rainfall is spread through the year, humidity is usually moderate to high, and winter darkness can be a major lifestyle factor for expats.