A sweltering start to the school year: September opens with unusually high temperatures, with heat persisting into late August and a sudden drop expected over the weekend.
August Preview: Heatwave Looms
According to the National Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, the first week of September – which marks the beginning of the new school year – is expected to be warmer than normal, with temperatures surpassing averages. Synoptic forecasts suggest that these elevated readings will start appearing earlier, already towards the end of August.
“From the end of the week, meaning from Wednesday, August 27th, and the upcoming weekend that will precede school starts, we anticipate notably high temperatures,” spokesperson Agnieszka Prasek of the Polish Agency for Public Relations conveyed. She added that the long‑term forecast carries greater uncertainty and that intense days may continue until the end of the year, with temperatures potentially exceeding 25 °C in some cases.
Forecast for the Next Few Days
The upcoming days look less scorching. On Thursday, August 21, the IMGW projects a maximum temperature between 20 and 25 °C, with cooler temperatures along the coast and in hilly regions around 18–19 °C. Additional rainfall and possible thunderstorms are expected in the south and southeast, with precipitation levels up to 10 mm in Eastern Lesser Poland.
Friday, August 22, is expected to maintain similar temperatures, ranging from 19 to 24 °C, again cooler over the sea and in the mountains. Sporadic short‑term showers will occur in northern Poland, while the southeast will see early rain that diminishes later, with higher rainfall in Podkarpyć.
On the weekend (August 23–24), a weather reversal will occur: temperatures countrywide will drop below 20 °C, accompanied by fleeting showers.
New Weather Alerts Issued by IMGW
On Thursday, August 21, the southern southeast faces intense rainfall and thunderstorms, prompting the institute to issue first and second‑degree warnings. The yellow alert covers the counties of Zbójce, Suski, Myślenicki, Wielicki, Bocheński, Brzeski, Tarnowski, Tarnów, Dąbrowski, Dębicki, Mielecki, Kolbuszowski, Niżanski, Leżajski, Biłgorajski, Zamojski, Zamość, Tomaszowski, Hrubieszowski, Przemyski, Przemyśl, Leski, and Bieszczadzki. A second‑degree warning applies to counties such as Nowotarski, Tatrański, Limanowski, Nowosądecki, Nowy Sącz, Gorlicki, Jasielski, Krosnensko, Krosno, Rzeszowski, Rzeszów, Strzyżowski, Ropczycko‑Sędziszowski, Łańcucki, Przeworski, Jarosławski, and Lubaczowski.
Storm alerts detail moderate rainfall intensities of 40–60 mm, with accompanying thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 55 km/h. The alert will be in force from 14:00 on August 21 until 11:00 the following day.
Source: Gazeta,
