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The climate of Poland
According to the Köppen climate classification Poland has a moderate
continental climate (type Dfb) with reasonably cold winters and
reasonably warm summers. Poland is one of the driest countries in
Europe. Most areas in Poland only get about 500 millimeters of annual
precipitation most of which falls in the form of snow during the
winter. It is very noticeable that the climate in Poland is less
influenced by the sea than in the neighboring country of Germany.
Rain and depressions that come from the North Sea hardly reach Poland.
The warming influence of the sea during the winter and the cooling
influence during the summer are only noticeable along the north coast
of Poland. The slightly colder Baltic Sea influences the climate here.
Climate information of places and areas in Poland
The climate information given on this page is only brief. Specific
information on weather and climate can be found on the pages per
region or city. The following climate information is available for
Poland:
Unpredictable weather
Poland doesn’t get much precipitation. The precipitation that does
fall is can be predicted with reasonable accuracy. Chances of rain
during a day that was predicted to be dry are very slim. However,
during the summer thunder storms may form after a (very) warm day.
Temperatures are harder to predict. Within the course of a week large
differences in temperature may occur. During the winter temperatures
may plummet from around freezing point to far below freezing point
within a week. This is often caused by a change of current, especially
when colder air suddenly comes from Scandinavia or Russia. The change
from wintry weather to spring may occur within 24 or 48 hours. Chances
are you may be enjoying spring on a terrace one day while the next day
you may need your winter coat again. The same pattern can be seen
during autumn. A lovely Indian Summer may change to bleak or even
wintry weather within a short period of time. In November subzero
temperatures are not uncommon.
Warm summers
Summers in Poland are pleasantly warm with temperatures of 22-24
degrees Celsius. However, during the night it may be cold. Because of
this you won’t get the tropical feeling in Poland you may get in
Mediterranean countries. In July and August temperatures may rise
above 30 degrees Celsius because of a warm current coming from Russia.
Longer periods where tropical temperatures can be recorded are not
uncommon in Poland. Most regions in Poland can record a heat wave
during a great number of years.
Precipitation
The wettest area in Poland is the south-western part. The Sudetes,
which is a mountain range with altitudes up to 1,500 meters can record
800-1,200 millimeters of annual rain. During the winter almost all of
which falls in the form of snow or glazed frost. The southern part of
Poland, bordering Slovakia, as well as the area along the Baltic Sea
get a little more precipitation than other places in Poland. The rest
of the country gets little precipitation during the winter. During the
summer precipitation figures are slightly higher, but still quite low.
However, chances of longer periods of rain are not uncommon.
Winter sports
Poland isn’t a real winter sports destination. However, there are some
excellent possibilities for skiing. Zakopane is a popular winter
sports destination located on the north side of the Tatra mountain
range. This city is situated at an altitude of 800 meters and has
several tens of thousands inhabitants. Zakopane is also known as the
winter sports capital of Poland. The winter sports season here is from
November till March. Other places with winter sports possibilities
are: Kasprowy Wierch, Gubalówka, and Polana Szymoszkowa.
Climate figures
The figures below are based on long term weather and climate
records. They can be seen as an average for Poland. The largest
deviations are: Summers along the Baltic Sea coast in the north are
slightly colder. The northern and southern parts of Poland get a
little more precipitation. The higher areas in the south (the Beskids)
are a little colder during the winter. Chances of wintry weather are
also slightly higher here than in the northern part of Poland.
More climate information
Climate tables are useful but they don’t give an overall picture of
the climate and possible weather conditions during a period of time.
How high the chances are of hot or cold weather or hurricanes can
often not be found in these tables. This is why we offer extra climate
information per month. The information below is an average for Poland.
However, there are some deviations: Chances of wintry weather are
slightly higher in the higher regions in the south. Chances of warm
weather are higher in the interior than along the Baltic Sea coast.
Disclaimer
The information at this site was carefully composed from climate data collected by meteorological services, meteorological offices, climate experts and other sources. “More climate info” is based on statistics, climate data and personal experience. No rights can be derived from this site. Weather has no memory and gives no guaranties. Nothing is as changeable and unpredictable as the weather. The authors of this site feel in no way responsible for any damages caused by misinterpretation or other circumstances that may influence your holiday or trip to a certain destination. We provide information, it’s up to the reader to use it to it’s benefit.
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= 0-5 mm ●
= 6-30 mm ●
= 31-60 mm ●
= 61-100 mm ●
= 101-200 mm ●
=
over 200 mm
