According to the Estonian Environment Agency's meteorological service, a large area of the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Riga is presently covered with ice. This situation underscores a notable climatic condition in the region, particularly during the winter months. The extent of ice coverage in the Baltic Sea has increased to 150,000 square kilometers, which is a considerable area and indicates that colder temperatures have persisted this season.

The current ice extent in the Baltic Sea is the highest recorded since the winter of 2017/2018. This increase can have various implications for marine life and shipping routes in the area, as ice cover restricts navigation and impacts ecosystems. The Baltic Sea's dynamics, underlined by this new ice extent, can potentially affect the region's weather patterns and temperature regulations.

Furthermore, this episode serves as a reminder of the ongoing discussions related to climate change and its impact on weather systems across Europe. As colder winters and significant freeze events become less frequent due to global warming, such occurrences of extensive ice coverage become noteworthy, adding to the complexity of environmental monitoring and planning in the region.