The Transport Administration (Transpordiamet) had been this week preparing to open the driveable routes across the sea ice, to the island of Vormsi, off the west cost, and the smaller island of Kihnu, in the Gulf of Riga.

This will not go ahead due to blizzard conditions which have reduced visibility to below 300 meters. This makes travel on the ice roads unsafe, the agency said.

"There is currently drifting snow on the routes, which makes driving difficult. Maintaining the ice road during a snowstorm is also unsafe and complicated," said Hannes Vaidla, head of the western road maintenance department at the Transport Administration.

The agency says it will inform road users when the ice roads toward both Vormsi and Kihnu are officially opened, once weather conditions improve.

The Transport Administration has also strongly urged people not to drive on unofficial ice roads. However, there is no specific bar on doing so, and large numbers of vehicles have been seen on the unregulated ice routes off Estonia's coastline, particularly around Hiiumaa and also Muhu.

This leaves only one official ice road, between Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, functioning. In addition to a traffic light system, normal rules of the road, including those under the Traffic Act, are in place on the official ice road, which would not be the case on an unofficial route. Vehicle insurance policies may also be invalid in the case of incidents on unofficial routes.

Official ice roads have safety regulations in place such as maximum, and also minimum, speeds. Drivers and passengers are also required to leave their seatbelts undone.

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