January in Estonia nearly 5 degrees colder than average
2026 in Estonia began with a much colder, drier and sunnier January than usual, ranking among the coldest starts to the year in the past 25 years.
According to the Environment Agency, the nationwide average temperature in Estonia last month was -7.8 degrees Celsius (C), compared with the long-term average of -3.1 C — nearly
The coldest reading came on January 6 in Jõgeva at -26.8 C, while the warmest was on Ruhnu island just three days earlier, reaching 3.1 C on January 3.
This marks one of the coldest Januaries in the past 25 years, narrowly surpassing 2016 and coming second only to January 2010, which averaged -11.4 C.
Frigid temperatures quickly froze rivers and lakes, leaving only fast-flowing sections open. Ice jams caused flooding in Põltsamaa and in Kuningaküla, just outside Narva, where the Narva River had started rising in late December and climbed nearly 3 meters by January 11.
Lake Peipus, which had remained mostly ice-free in December, began freezing over rapidly in early January. By January 5, the entire surface of the border lake was frozen, reaching 30 centimeters (cm) thick by month's end.
Snow depths last month reached 37 cm in Tallinn and 35 cm in Tooma. Despite the frigid conditions, snow has acted as an insulating blanket, keeping the ground just below freezing in some areas and even slightly above at shallow depths.
Despite the snow, January saw unusually low precipitation levels, just 15 millimeters (mm) — about a third of the typical amount — with Jõhvi, Jõgeva and Narva in the east recording the driest conditions.
Sunshine was plentiful, however, averaging 44 hours nationwide, 11 hours above normal, making this one of the sunniest Januaries since 1961.
--
Editor: Jaan-Juhan Oidermaa, Aili Vahtla
