Thaws and Ice Jams in Poland: Local Flooding and Major Heating Failure in Wrocław

The turn of February and March 2026 brought a sudden change in weather, which became the source of a hydrological crisis in many regions of the country. The most difficult situation is in Masovia, where the Wkra River has burst its banks, flooding several dozen properties. The cause of the rapid water surge are ice jams blocking the free flow. Rescue services are considering the use of explosives to break up the ice, and specialist units are already operating on the Vistula. Icebreakers are trying to clear the riverbed to prevent water from backing up and further flooding in lowland areas. Ice jams forced immediate government intervention, and the situation is being personally monitored by the Minister of the Interior and Administration. Meteorological services have issued red alerts for the Mławka River and warnings for the Pomeranian region, where thaws may soon lead to the exceedance of warning levels. Poland has been grappling with systematic flooding during winter thaws for decades, resulting from the geographical conditions of the Vistula and Oder river basins and progressive river regulation. Simultaneously with the hydrological problems, Wrocław is struggling with a massive failure of critical infrastructure. The northern and central parts of the city were cut off from hot water and heating after a heating main ruptured. Technical services of the company Fortum are working to remove the failure, but according to official forecasts, the restoration of heating and hot water supplies will only occur on Saturday, February 28, around 10:00 PM. The traffic situation in the capital of Lower Silesia is further complicated by repair works planned for the weekend at the intersection of Kamienna and Ślężna streets, which have overlapped with the aftermath of the failure. Similar disruptions are reported by residents of Szczecin and Poznań, where repairs and pipe bursts have forced changes to public transport routes. kilkadziesiąt — properties in Masovia found underwater On a national scale, the thaws have revealed the disastrous state of road surfaces and pavements. In Gdynia and Koszalin, residents complain of ubiquitous mud and potholes in the roadways, repairs for which — due to weather conditions — are only planned for April. Problems are not bypassing agriculture either; standing water in fields threatens winter crops, potentially leading to their "suffocation." Experts recommend that farmers perform appropriate drainage measures to save crops from the necessity of plowing them under and reseeding. „Sytuacja na Wkrze jest poważna, służby są w pełnej gotowości i podejmują działania w celu ochrony mienia mieszkańców.” (The situation on the Wkra River is serious, emergency services are on full alert and are taking action to protect residents' property.) — Marcin Kierwiński Despite numerous infrastructural inconveniences, cities are preparing for an intensive cultural weekend. Exotic fairs and a running marathon are planned in Wrocław, and numerous attractions for families with children are scheduled in Poznań and the Tricity. Organizers, however, appeal for following current announcements regarding traffic changes caused by ongoing repairs to transmission networks.