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Climate
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Estonia is located in the transition region between the marine and the continental climate. The climate of Estonia is most influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, northern part of which is an area of intense cyclonic activity. Therefore the weather is very unsettled in Estonia; there are strong winds and blunt fluctuations in temperature. The impact of the warm North-Atlantic stream makes the climate here somewhat warmer than at the equivalent latitudes elsewhere. |
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The location of Estonia relatively far in the North causes big fluctuations of light conditions in summer and winter. At the winter solstice the length of the day is only 6 hours, whereas at summer solstice the day is 18 hours long. The yearly duration of sunshine is 1600-1900 hours. However, this indicator is lower in uplands and higher on the coasts. |
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The length of the day in summer and winter
The climatic differences in Estonia are caused mainly by the vicinity of the Baltic Sea and the varying relief. There are less clouds and more sunshine, less precipitation and smaller fluctuations in the yearly temperatures in the coastal areas. Also, the autumns are warmer in the coastal areas, since the sea cools down more slowly.
In spring, on the contrary, the inland areas warm up faster than the coastal areas because of the impact of the cold seawater. There are less night frosts, bigger wind speeds and smaller frequency of thunderstorms in the close proximity of the sea (2-3 km from the coast).
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The alternation of uplands and lowlands results in differences of the distribution of temperatures and precipitation. It is colder in the uplands in wintertime, there is more snow and it lasts longer.
Climatic diagrams of Estonia
The length of the vegetation period in Estonia is 180-195 days; the length of the frost-free period is 110-190 days.
Map of winds
Map of the length of the snow cover
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Climate
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