"Tahkuse has already gotten nearly two months' of rain, and it has rained for eight consecutive days at almost half of all monitoring stations," said Jana Põldnurk, head of the Climate Department at the Environment Agency.

Observational data thus confirm that this isn't merely a subjective feeling people have — June really has been a rainy month this year.

As of Tuesday, Estonia's average rainfall for the month so far stood at 52 millimeters. By comparison, the long-term average for the entire month — the June norm — is 70 mm. While the monthly average has therefore not yet been exceeded, rainfall has been unevenly distributed across the country.

The long-term precipitation average for the month has already been exceeded at the hydrometric monitoring stations at Tahkuse (185 percent), Heltermaa (139 percent) and Ristna (113).

The rainiest day recorded so far was June 9, with 58 mm of rain measured at Tahkuse, 50 mm at Laadi and 44 mm at Heltermaa.

Recent rainy weather has also pushed river water levels significantly above long-term June averages. Despite this, Estonia is not currently under threat of flooding. Following a long rainy period, water levels have mostly stopped rising or begun to fall at most hydrometric monitoring stations.

At some stations, however, water levels are once again on the rise — including at Tudulinn, Sämi, Lüganuse and Luguse.

Peak water levels were mostly recorded between June 12 and 14. On the Mustjõgi River, the highest water level so far this month was recorded at the Taheva hydrometric station on June 12, reaching 341 centimeters.

On the Tänassilma River, the water level at the Tänassilma hydrometric station is currently stabilizing, just 5 cm below the June record of 111 cm set in 2016.

In Pärnu County, heavy precipitation has caused water levels at several hydrometric monitoring stations to already approach June record highs. The Riisa hydrometric station on the Halliste River is reporting the highest water level for June in the last 15 years, and Soomaa is currently experiencing a summertime "fifth season" — a flooding phenomenon usually seen in the area in March and April.

On June 13, the water level at the Laadi hydrometric observation station exceeded its previous June record, set in 2009, by 15 cm.

Forecasts also call for continued rainfall this week, so river levels are expected to remain high.

Crops under threat

Although Western Estonia and the islands have received substantial rain this month, Southeastern Estonia remains the region most affected by excess moisture, with the ground remaining saturated since May.

Many crop growers and gardeners are already facing a difficult situation as their yields suffer; there have been reports of strawberries not ripening on time, and potato fields are threatened by rot caused by excessive moisture.

The rainiest June on record in Estonia was in 1998, when average precipitation across the country reached 124 mm.

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