The first day of March brought the formal start of meteorological spring to Poland, along with a radical change in weather. While thousands of people on the coast enjoy the sunshine, a significant part of the country is dealing with the consequences of a sudden thaw. Rescue services have intervened dozens of times due to flooding, and rivers are reaching alarm levels. Meteorologists predict temperature anomalies reaching up to 15 degrees Celsius, heralding the end of the polar vortex's reign.
Sudden thaw across the country
Sudden warming and rain have caused numerous floods, especially in Warmia and Masuria, forcing fire department interventions.
Alerts on Polish rivers
The number of rivers exceeding alarm levels is increasing, posing a real flood threat to lowland and riverside areas.
Extreme temperature anomaly
Thermometers show values up to 15 degrees higher than average, linked to the final breakdown of the polar vortex this winter.
March 1, 2026, marks the beginning of meteorological spring, showcasing the extreme faces of Polish weather. In the coastal strip, including Stegna and Sopot, a massive influx of walkers enjoying the first hints of warmth was recorded. However, this idyllic spring picture is interrupted by numerous reports of threats resulting from the sudden melting of the snow cover. The hydrological situation is becoming tense, especially in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, where the fire department has reported over 40 interventions related to flooded basements, roads, and properties. The cause is a combination of high temperatures, which are over a dozen degrees higher than the long-term average, and accompanying rainfall accelerating the thaw process. This phenomenon is the result of the polar vortex breakdown, which led to a complete reversal of air circulation over Central Europe. On rivers across Poland, the number of measurement points where the highest-level alerts have been announced is increasing. The most difficult situation is on smaller watercourses, which are unable to handle the masses of flowing water. Meanwhile, in cities such as Warsaw, Kraków, and Białystok, dense cloud cover dominates, but this is expected to give way to further clearing in the coming days. Meteorological spring is a term introduced for statistical purposes, always covering the period from March 1 to May 31, which facilitates the comparison of climate data over decades. With the warming, gardeners and farmers are also becoming active, for whom March is a key moment to start the season. Experts remind of the necessity to perform the first protective sprays, aimed at eliminating pests such as the box tree moth or spider mites before they begin to reproduce. In agriculture, the topic of harrowing winter crops returns, which, given the forecasted mix of weather, is crucial for the optimal development of cereals. Despite optimistic forecasts for Easter, market analysts warn of rising prices for seasonal products, including eggs and strawberries, due to the specifics of the production cycle in this thermally unusual period.