Kiitsak told ERR that last night was just a prelude and more intense and severe thunderstorms are expected Friday evening and into the coming night.

"Right now, starting from southeastern Estonia, the cloud cover is thinning, temperatures are rising, and in the evening a colder air mass will arrive from Latvia. Ahead of it, new thunderclouds are developing in Belarus, Latvia, and Lithuania, which will reach Estonia's southern border and the shores of the Gulf of Riga in the evening and move northwest to north. These thunderclouds may bring very heavy downpours, strong gusts of wind, and also hail, which poses a significant threat this time due to the very unstable air mass," he outlined.

The meteorologist said showers will only begin to lessen and the wind calm down toward Saturday morning. But on Friday evening and overnight people in all counties should be prepared for any and all hazards associated with thunderstorms.

"In my assessment, the most high-risk areas tonight and in the coming night are South and West Estonia," Kiitsak said.

He added that people should also prepare in Southwest Estonia and in areas from around Pärnu County to Western Estonia. The upcoming night will pass somewhat more mildly along the northern coast and in Northeastern Estonia.

Be prepared

To prepare for the night, Kiitsak recommends unplugging electrical appliances at home, closing windows and doors, refraining from heating with stoves, and gathering up any lightweight objects from the yard, such as trampolines.

He also advises parking cars away from trees and, if possible, in garages, as hail may occur in addition to thunderstorms. To protect cars from hail, mattresses or blankets can be placed over the windows.

"We will see during the night how much hail there actually is, if any. It is a matter of minutes to hours, and only then can we monitor and inform people more precisely about where it hits and how large the hailstones roughly are. Better safe than sorry," Kiitsak said.

The meteorologist recommends people monitor the Weather Service's weather radar, which shows the movement of rain clouds and the warning map. Both are updated continuously around the clock.

He noted that the impending risk of thunderstorms and hail should not disrupt air or sea traffic, but people should still consider their safety while at sea.

"Anyone operating in the area around the Gulf of Riga and Väinameri this evening or at night should be very cautious when those thunderclouds pass over," Kiitsak said.

According to the Environmental Agency, nearly 62,000 lightning strikes were recorded from Thursday through Friday morning across the Baltic states, parts of Belarus, and the western edge of Russia.

Dangerous weather warning

A level two – orange – dangerous weather warning has been issued in Saare, Pärnu, Viljandi, Tartu, Valga, Põlva and Võru counties for July 11.

"Unusual meteorological phenomena have been forecast. Be very vigilant and keep regularly informed about the weather forecast. Be aware of the risks that might be unavoidable and follow any advice given by authorities," the Environment Agency says.

You can follow the weather forecast in each county here.

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