Recently published global weather analysis reveals that average ambient temperatures for July have been consistently rising.

Meteorologist Ele Pedassaar appeared on "Ringvaade" to discuss the phenomenon.

"Global analyses have just been released, showing that July has been warmer for the 14th consecutive year, and at present, the average temperature is 1.2 degrees Celsius higher. Each year is getting progressively warmer," Pedassar, who often delivers "Aktuaalne kaamera's" weather bulletin, said.

"Long-term weather forecasts are getting to be increasingly unreliable. Last September was the warmest in history, while this year could also bring a warm September," she went on.

Pedassaar conceded that meteorologists' work has become more challenging directly as a result of more extreme weather conditions, which has led to a growing need to issue storm warnings.

For instance last Saturday evening, up to 91.8 millimeters of rain fell, as measured at the Kehra meteorological station, around 40 kilometers southeast of Tallinn.

This was "well above the monthly norm, all of which fell within a single day," Pedassaar noted.

The average monthly rainfall for August, depending on location, ranges from 70 to 90 millimeters, she noted.

Meteorologists issue a dangerous rain warning when 20 millimeters of rain falls within an hour, as this can already lead to the type of flooding seen in Tartu last week.

"If 30 millimeters of rain is forecast, then weather conditions are already highly dangerous, and if the amount of rain exceeds 50 millimeters within an hour, this is considered catastrophic," she noted.

Not only are rainfall figures going up, but the incidence of hail has also risen.

For instance record-sized hailstone with a diameter of eight centimeters was measured in Sõrve, Saaremaa, a little over a year ago.

The Estonian meteorological society (Eesti Meteoroloogide Selts) has decided to start selecting the weather event of the year, the meteorologist added.

At the same time, the extreme conditions recently seen might not be an automatic shoo-in for 2024's memorable event, Pedassaar added, as it is early days yet.

"The weather event of the year will be selected from the period between Jaanipäev and the next Jaanipäev," she noted.

Last year's (ie. June 24, 2023-June 23, 2024) "winner" was the July 2023 summer thunderstorms and rain which blighted, but did not dampen, the youth song and dance festival.

Second place went to the Sõrve hailstone, while heavy snowfall on St. George's Day (Jüripäev) April 23 this year, came third.

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