Polish scientists assert that recent cold snaps do not disprove global warming, as data shows the country and planet are heating rapidly due to human activity.
Not a ‘Century Winter’
This winter, while bringing significant snow and frost to Poland, is not extraordinary by historical standards. Such conditions, once common, now seem sensational due to changing climate patterns.
While climate change means winters are generally warming, occasional cold or normal winters remain possible. Temperatures like -20°C, which seem extreme today, were normal in past centuries.
Cold Weather Explanations
Recent cold snaps result from air masses arriving from the east, from regions near Suwałki, known as Poland’s ‘cold pole’.
Such extreme cold poses risks but does not contradict climate change. Poland’s proximity to Arctic regions ensures occasional cold influxes, but their frequency is decreasing.
The World – and Poland – Is Warming
Over the past 70 years, Poland has shown a clear warming trend. The average air temperature in 2025 was 9.5°C, 0.8°C above the long-term mean, classifying it as a very warm year.
Data from IMGW illustrates that each recent decade has been warmer than the last, with the 1980s and earlier being cooler. This trend is visible in temperature anomaly charts.
Winters in Poland are warming overall, with fewer frosty days and shorter snow cover periods, despite the occurrence of cold snaps.
