Lithuania records record‑dry spring and faces summer tornadoes

Lithuania’s 2026 spring was among the driest since 1961, with only 69.3 mm of rain – just above the 1974 low – and the third sunniest spring on record, totalling 723.6 hours of sunshine. The season’s average temperature was 7.6 °C, 0.7 °C above normal, with the warmest day on May 4 at 16.7 °C and the coldest on March 3 at –0.2 °C. A temporary drought was officially declared on April 30, affecting large parts of the country until it eased by May 21.

On June 5, a series of tornadoes struck several districts, including Genėtinių (Panevėžys), Antanavas (Kazlų Rūda), Stirniškiai (Kupiškis) and Kaunas, causing tree damage and roof losses. The strongest, an IF2 (F2) tornado, uprooted trees and destroyed greenhouses over a 2.8 km path. Meteorologists warn that the summer will remain highly variable, with frequent rain, thunderstorms and a cooling atmospheric front expected later in the week.