Extreme Heatwaves to Hit Poland with Temperatures Reaching 40°C as IMGW Issues Red Alerts

Poland faces extreme temperatures reaching up to 40°C alongside severe storms, as IMGW issues red and lower-level heat and storm alerts across the country.

Extreme Temperatures and Storm Forecast

“We have a very hot day ahead of us – from 29°C in the northeast, about 36°C in the centre, up to even 40°C in the southeast. In the afternoon, locally in the north, west, centre and in Podhale, storms with rainfall up to 25 mm and local hail are possible. Wind gusts up to 85 km/h,” IMGW reported on Wednesday, August 5 on X.

IMGW Heat Alerts

The highest degree of heat alert is in force in the Podkarpackie, Lubelskie, Świętokrzyskie, Łódzkie, Śląskie and Opolskie voivodeships, as well as in parts of the Mazowieckie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Podlaskie, Lubuskie, Dolnośląskie and Małopolskie voivodeships. Third-degree alerts will remain active until 20:00 on Thursday, and maximum daytime temperatures of 31 to 38°C and minimum nighttime temperatures of 18 to 23°C are forecast in these areas.

Second-degree heat warnings cover the Wielkopolskie voivodeship and partially the Mazowieckie, Zachodniopomorskie, Lubuskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Podlaskie, Dolnośląskie and Małopolskie voivodeships. There, the forecasted maximum daytime temperature will range from 30 to 34°C, and the minimum nighttime temperature from 18 to 22°C. The alerts will remain in effect until 20:00 on Thursday.

The lowest degree of heat warnings is in force in the north of the country – in parts of the Zachodniopomorskie, Pomorskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Podlaskie voivodeships. In these areas, the maximum daytime temperature will reach 30 to 32°C, and the minimum nighttime temperature 16 to 18°C. The alerts will last until 20:00 on Wednesday.

Storm Warnings

IMGW also issued second-degree storm alerts (from 14:00 on Wednesday to 03:00 on Thursday) for the Śląskie voivodeship. A first-degree alert will be in effect in the Zachodniopomorskie, Pomorskie, Lubuskie voivodeships and parts of Wielkopolskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie. Storms accompanied locally by very heavy rainfall of up to 50 mm and wind gusts of up to 90 km/h are forecast there.