Estonian Independence Day this year to be cold, snow covered
Independence Day, Friday, February 24, will be cold, with the blue-black-white national flag likely to stand out against the snow cover already blanketing the country, with more snowfall due daytime Thursday, at least in the north and west.
The national holiday will be slightly milder than Thursday, however.
At the same time, the long weekend will give plenty of time to indulge in winter sports or to spend the time with friends and family, though the conditions mean due care is needed when driving and moving around in general.
Thursday
After a dry, but very cold night – temperatures as low as -22C down in Võru County - Thursday morning remains cold, and mostly cloudy. The eastern half of the country will see much lower temperature values (-16 to -14C) than the western half (-9 to -6C, and as "mild" as -3C on the islands). A southwesterly breeze will pick up, with gusts up to 14 m/s forecast.
Daytime is likely to see a return of the snow, in the north and west of the country (see map below). This again will be accompanied by slightly milder temperatures (-7 to 0C) than in the drier east (down to -8C).
Next three days
Going into the holiday weekend, similar conditions are expected. Patches of snow are forecast through to the start of the new week, likely falling as sleet or rain on the islands and west coast as temperatures rise a little (on average -2C on the Friday, down to -6C on average on the Sunday). The clouds will clear somewhat during this time also.
Thursday is a half-day in Estonia, with people winding up for independence day from lunchtime. February 24 is a national holiday. Since it falls on a Friday this year, this spells a long weekend for most people, so plenty of time to enjoy the snowy landscape ahead of election week starting Monday.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Andrew Whyte
