Photos ⟩ Helsinki skyline visible from Tallinn TV Tower

The disruption of ferry traffic between Tallinn and Helsinki has made the air over the Gulf of Finland so clear that the Helsinki skyline can be photographed from atop the Tallinn TV Tower. This is what it looked like at noon.

Chief specialist of the Environmental Agency’s data processing department Elo Mandel said that while sparser ferry traffic has surely reduced air pollution, it is difficult to measure exactly to what extent as Estonia has no monitoring stations that specialize on shipping emissions. Chief specialist of the agency’s forecast models Jekaterina Služenikina added that when it comes to the transparency of air, the weather also plays an important part and air pollution dissipates more quickly in the conditions of strong winds.

The European Space Agency’s Copernicus Earth observation program shows that the concentration of fine and superfine particles PM2.5 and PM10 over the Guld of Finland has fallen considerably between March and the second part of April. Manager of the Tallinn TV Tower Jüri Kriisemann said that so far, only Finnish islands and the glow of Helsinki have been visible from the tower without any special equipment.