This can bring snow and sleet in places over the next few days, though the weather will be changeable, overcast much of the time but with clear spells.

Some nights will bring milder temperatures than others, and daytime temperatures, save for in the morning, will be above zero.

The changeable conditions mean that while winter tires are no longer mandatory, it is worth not rushing to change them over the next few days.

Tuesday night into Wednesday early morning brought the return of subzero temperatures nationwide, with the mercury showing -3 degrees Celsius to -1 degree, and with uniform cloud cover.

Other than that, it was dry, though this will change daytime in places, where snow and sleet are forecast for Wednesday.

In the morning, this will be confined to the western islands, but temperatures across the country remain below zero or at zero in Pärnu.

In the evening, snowfall will get heavier in Western Estonia and gradually spread northeastward.

At the same time, rising temperatures daytime will transform the snow into sleet and rain.

Temperatures will rise as high as +5 degrees in southeast Estonia daytime; it will be around zero in Tallinn, +2 in Pärnu, +3 in Tartu, and -1 in Narva.

The wind will pick up a little daytime, particularly off the northwest coast, where gusts up to 13 meters per second will be seen.

Overnight into Thursday, it will be milder than the previous night as a new low-pressure system extends from Poland, across the Baltic states to Estonia. There will be more snow and sleet overnight, and in Western Estonia, also rain.

Thursday daytime is likely to see precipitation falling as sleet and rain everywhere, but winds will remain mostly light, except in the Gulf of Finland area, where the night will have stronger easterlies.

Ambient temperatures overnight Wednesday into Thursday will range from -2 to +3 degrees, while Thursday daytime will see temperatures wholly above zero (+1 to +6 degrees, or even as high as +9 in the southeast).

The low-pressure system is set to move along the eastern border of Lithuania and Latvia toward Russia overnight Thursday into Friday; earlier on Thursday evening there will be widespread precipitation which will bring more snow, sleet, and rain.

After midnight, precipitation will turn to snow from the west and then cease.

Friday daytime will be mostly dry but with patches of rain. The ambient daytime average temperature will be lower, at +1 degree.

Friday night will be cold, down to as low as -7 degrees and subzero again everywhere, though during the day on Saturday it will be above zero nationwide (+2 to +6 degrees).

Saturday will be much clearer as a high-pressure ridge extends from the North Sea over the Baltic Sea.

At the same time, a new active low-pressure system is set to move across northern Scandinavia, influencing air pressure around the Baltic Sea, and between these two pressure systems, southwesterly and westerly winds are set to strengthen.

Come Sunday, there will be more snow and it will be overcast across much of Estonia, in contrast to Saturday's clear spell.

The new work week will continue with similar conditions, cold at night and often below zero, but with mostly above-zero temperatures during the day.

Most of the precipitation will fall in Eastern Estonia this time, and again as snow and sleet.

The final third of the month is due to bring more variable weather conditions, with both wet and dry days, and temperatures will slowly start rising again, to averages of around +10 degrees by month's end, the Environmental Agency says.

Since we are only in very early spring, the cold should not cause much damage, the Environment Agency has said, either to plants, which are only just starting to bud, nor to animals, which despite some snow cover will be able to find adequate food.

At the same time, while the use of winter tires is no longer mandatory (that period runs December 1 to March 1), there is no reason to hurry to change to summer tires – in fact, given the conditions, it is wiser to stick with the winter tires for the time being.

Studded winter tires must be removed by March 31, save for very exceptional weather conditions through April.

The days continue to get lighter as we head towards the vernal equinox, and the rate at which this happens (around five minutes and 20-21 seconds per day) is at its peak for the rest of this month and into early April. Whereas dawn on Wednesday came at 6.45 a.m., and dusk comes at 6.16 p.m., on Sunday those times are 6.34 a.m. and 6.25 p.m. respectively (Tallinn times).

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