Most of the month passed with minimal precipitation; in only a few locations was precipitation slightly above the average.

From May 18 through the end of the month, in many places in Estonia there was no rainfall at all. The average precipitation during the month of May was just 12 millimeters, or 28 percent of the average.

Ain Kallis, a climatologist with the Environment Agency, said that although spring is typically the driest season of the year, the months of May have become increasingly drier over the past several decades. "Climate models indicate a worsening trend, so springs in this region are becoming progressively drier," Kallis told ERR.

According to the Environment Agency's monthly summary, May was also one of the sunniest on record. Only three years have had greater sunshine. The average sunshine hours in Estonia were 372.1, or 130 percent of the norm.

The average air temperature for the month was 10.7 degrees, which is normal. The highest temperature recorded was in Viljandi, 26 degrees Celsius, on May 24. The month's lowest temperature was -5.8 degrees Celsius on May 6 in Kuusiku.

Kallis anticipates that this summer will be warmer and drier than average. While many regions of Europe will see extremely high temperatures, the summer in Estonia will be comfortably warm.

"We don't get that high temperatures here. It will be warmer and drier than average, but there will be rain as well," Kallis said. "You could say that this summer will be very pleasant."

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