Two-year temperature low recorded at -25.3C
Less than 24 hours after a new low for the winter of 2018-19 of -22.3C was recorded in the central Estonian town of Jõgeva, Tuesday morning saw that figure beaten by three degrees, in Lääne-Viru County.
A temperature of -25.3C was recorded at Väke-Maarja, approximately equidistant between Tallinn and Tartu, at 08.00 EET. The Lääne-Viru County village, which is only around 40km from Jõgeva where the previous low of the season was recorded at around 11.00 on Monday, had seen temperatures lower than -20C at the same time.
This latest figure is a two-year low however. Temperatures through the largely mild winter of 2017-18 did not reach close to that level once.
The cold spell is affecting much of the country including the capital and north coast. Only the western isles of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa and the surrounding archipelago will experience significantly milder temperatures, as much as 20 degrees warmer, as the region often does given the moderating influence of the sea.
The lowest temperature registered in January 2018 was -14.4C. This was something of an outlier in recent years, however: in January 2017 temperatures got down to -25C and on 8 January 2016, temperatures as low as -30C were reported.
According to national regulations, if outside temperatures are at-20C or lower, and no return school transport is organised, classes for grades 1 through to 6 can be cancelled.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte