This Weekend's Weather: Snow Finally Makes a Comeback
After several weeks of what Estonians call a "black winter," when unseasonably warm temperatures lead to soggy and depressing landscapes, snow is once again falling and should continue to do so intermittently through the weekend as temperatures remain below zero.
In north Estonia, the mercury should cross into the freezing zone by evening, in central Estonia by midnight and in south Estonia by morning, according to the Meteorology and Hydrology Institute's Friday forecast.
The rapid temperature drop following today's precipitation is likely to lead to slippery conditions on roads overnight, so drivers are urged to use caution.
On Saturday, the low-pressure system that brought in the current wave of moisture should begin moving off toward Russia, but will still make its presence felt. By morning, any areas of sleet will turn into areas of snow. Temperatures are expected to stay in the-4 to 0 C range throughout the day. Snowfalls will be scattered, but more frequent in south Estonia and on Saaremaa.
A new weather system moving in from Sweden should bring more snow to Saaremaa and Pärnu County overnight between Saturday and Sunday, with lighter snow hitting central and north Estonia. During the day, a rise in air pressure will mean the volume of snow in inland areas should be fairly small, but could get heavy on the coasts. Daytime temperatures on Sunday should be -7 to -2 C, falling to -10 to -5 C at night.
Next week is expected to start with only light snow, but long-term forecasts call for temperatures at night to dip into the negative double digits.