New particle formation and growth were observed at a coastal site (Preila station, Lithuania) during 1997 and 2000-2002. The total amountof data analysed covers 291 one-day periods, 45 (15%) of which were long-term, new particle formation days. Short-term nucleationevents (from a few minutes to one hour) and long-term events (from one to eight hours) were identified. The mean particlegrowth rate, condensation sink and condensable vapour source rate during nucleation events were 3.9 nm h^-1, 1.45 × 10^-3 cm^-3 s^-1 and 7.5 × 10⁴ cm^-3 s^-1 respectively.The average formation rate J₁₀ was 0.4 cm^-3 s^-1. The nucleation events were accompaniedmainly by air masses transported from the north (43%) and north-west (19%). Meteorological parameters and trace gas (O₃, SO₂,NO₂) concentrations were also analysed. It was found that nucleation events are related to high levels of solar radiation.