Possible tornado reported Thursday as severe storms swept Southern Estonia

Fast-moving thunderstorms swept across Southern Estonia on Thursday evening, bringing heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds. A low-pressure system pushed severe weather northward through the Baltics, prompting the Estonian Weather Service to issue level 2 storm warnings for the southern region.

Local video and photos from Võru and surrounding areas showed rapid deterioration in conditions as a shelf cloud moved in from the south, accompanied by heavy rain, gusty winds, localized hail, and flash flooding. Multiple reports described possible funnel clouds or a tornado in Võru County, but meteorologist Kairo Kiitsak said no touchdowns have been confirmed. "Cloud rotation was clearly visible in some places, but to the best of our knowledge, no funnel cloud ever actually touched down," Kiitsak wrote on social media.

He added that tornadoes may have briefly touched down farther south in the Baltics, where wind damage and hail larger than 2 centimeters in diameter were reported in several areas.

Recent tornado in Lithuania

In Lithuania, a tornado hit Kazlų Rūda Municipality last Friday, with the village of Antanavas appearing hardest hit. Although the June 5 tornado lasted only a short time, images and videos of downed trees and damaged buildings quickly spread on social media.

Tornadoes rare in Estonia

While waterspouts are more common, tornadoes remain relatively rare in Estonia. According to the Estonian Weather Service, only five tornado-related deaths were recorded nationwide between 1922 and 2022. In May 2022, a tornado near Rakvere caused local damage in the village of Mädapea. That July, another tornado touched down near the border of Tartu and Põlva counties, with severe damage in Paali and Raanitsa villages. In July 2023, a tornado near Mooste caused property damage in the village of Jaanimõisa.