Rainfall amounts: 37 millimeters recorded in Baranowice overnight, 30 millimeters in Minsk
Summer Storm Wreaks Havoc in Belarus and Lithuania
A sudden and intense weather system swept through several cities in Belarus and Lithuania on July 15, 2025, causing widespread flooding, infrastructure disruption, and power outages. The affected cities included Minsk, Baranovichi, Kolodishchi, Vileika, and Alytus in Lithuania.
The storm, which combined heavy rainfall, large hail, and even a rare tornado over Lithuania, was particularly severe in Minsk. The heavy rain overwhelmed the city's drainage systems, causing rapid street flooding that made many roads impassable. Traffic came to a complete standstill, reaching the highest congestion levels on the city's scale (10/10), and public transportation, including trams and buses, was forced to stop due to the high water levels.
Similar flooding and damage were reported in Baranovichi and Kolodishchi, while hailstorms and severe weather affected Vileika and Alytus. The storm in Alytus was particularly noteworthy, with the town receiving an astonishing 69 mm of precipitation, more than double the average monthly norm for July.
The impact of the storm was significant. Flooded streets and halted traffic were common in Minsk and the surrounding cities. Public transport shutdowns due to road flooding were also reported. Extensive hail damage was observed, and a rare tornado occurrence in Lithuania caused additional localized damage. Thousands of people were affected by the rapid and dangerous weather conditions in just a few hours.
In addition, the northern part of the capital, including the First of May District, experienced power outages due to the storm. Kolodishchi declared an emergency situation, and similar chaos was reported in Baranovichi, where 37 mm of precipitation fell overnight. A lightning storm was observed over Minsk, adding to the intensity of the weather event.
In summary, the cause was an intense summer thunderstorm system producing heavy rain, hail, and tornadoes, and the impact was severe flooding, transportation paralysis, and damage to infrastructure in the affected Belarusian and Lithuanian cities on July 15, 2025. The cities are now working to clean up and repair the damage caused by this unexpected and powerful storm.
[1] Weather and Climate Information Service (meteo.by)
- The intense summer thunderstorm system, which included heavy rainfall, large hail, and even a tornado, was responsible for the weather-forecasting models that failed to accurately predict the severity of the storm.
- In the aftermath of the storm, local authorities plan to improve weather-forecasting capabilities to better prepare their citizens for unexpected and powerful weather events like this one in the future.
