Temperatures could hit the 35C-mark next Wednesday, which meteorologist and ETV weather forecaster Taimi Paljak says is extremely high.

"We do not [usually] forecast [temperature] records, but the temperature will rise to a record high," she said.

The current all-time temperature high in Estonia was recorded in the summer of 1992, at 35.6C in Võru.

June temperature records were smashed at least twice in succession last month, with the final maximum chalked up at 34.6C. The average monthly air temperature for the month also hit a new record, of 18.8C.

This can make June the hottest summer month for the third year in a row, which climatologist Ain Kallis called unusual hitherto.

Kallis said: "Usually July is known as the hottest month, followed by August, and only then by June."

This weekend, temperatures can rise to around 30C, with the highest temperatures likely in the east of the country, before Sunday brings a brief respite in lower temperatures before the new week's heat wave begins in earnest (see ETV's four-day forecast below).

The second half of next week should be accompanied by receding temperatures, Taimi Paljak said, adding that while ore heatwaves may recur through the rest of the summer, they are not likely to be as long in duration as either the latest one or last month's highs.

A return of the thunderstorms seen this week is on the cards later next week as well.

Saturday starts clear and sunny, turns cloudy and hot before returning to morning's conditions

As for today, Saturday, morning (Hommik) starts clear virtually everywhere except the far west, with fairly even temperatures of 24-26C nationwide.

Daytime (Paev) brings both cloud, particularly in the north and west, and a temperature differential on the islands, where it will be considerably cooler (25-27C) than on the mainland (31-33C). A south-easterly breeze continues to blow.

Evening sees a return to the morning's clear skies and uniform temperatures, 24-26C.

Ain Kallis warned of the dangers of heatwaves, saying that in apartments or houses which lack air conditioning units, the best approach, while it may sound counter-intuitive, is to keep windows closed daytime, and open them in the evening.

Part of the problem this year is that nights have often remained warm and muggy, keeping average temperatures high – close to 20C – and providing little respite.

Most heat-waves in Estonia in recent years have tended to see a core of just a few days of highs over 30C, surrounded by periods of around three weeks where the average temperature can be 20C or more. This happened in 2010, and again in 2018, Kallis said.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!