Poland faces cold, wet All Saints' weekend with snow forecast in the mountains

Cloud, rain and fog to open the weekend

Forecasters at the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) expect a damp, overcast All Saints' weekend that will not clear much before Monday, 2 November. Dense fog cut visibility to 200 to 400 metres in many regions on Friday morning, and although most of it has since lifted, the rest of Friday, 30 October, is expected to stay cloudy almost everywhere, with light showers or drizzle possible nationwide. Cool polar air currently lies over Poland, which rules out any real warming. On Saturday, 31 October, cloud will persist across most of the country, and rain is forecast nearly everywhere except the far north-west. The south is likely to see rain for the longest stretch of the day, linked to an upper low at roughly 5.5 km altitude.

Temperatures across the three days

Temperatures stay low throughout the period. On Saturday, 31 October, highs are expected between 8 and 11 degrees Celsius, dropping to about 7 in the east and around 4 in the foothills of the Carpathians, while the north-west could reach about 12. Sunday, 1 November, is colder again. One forecast puts highs at 8 to 9 degrees across most of the country and about 3 in the foothills, while another gives 8 to 10 degrees, about 5 in the mountain basins and as high as 9 to 10 on the coast. On Monday, 2 November, highs are expected between 6 and 9 degrees Celsius, with scattered showers in places. Overnight lows at the weekend are put at 2 to 6 degrees, and around 7 near the sea.

Rain and snow in the mountains

On Sunday, 1 November, showers are forecast across a long list of southern and central voivodeships, from Lower Silesia to Subcarpathia, while the north and west are expected to see more clear spells. Snow is expected in the mountains. Forecasts for the Carpathians point to 15 mm of precipitation and about 15 cm of new snow cover, while the peaks of the Beskids and Sudetes could see up to 5 cm. The higher ranges may hold tens of centimetres of snow, with icy trails. Paweł Parzuchowski, head of the IMGW office in Zakopane, says a white All Saints' Day is unusual for the town.

“Contrary to appearances, it is not common in the 21st century, and only twice has it been white on All Saints' Day in Zakopane.”

He added that this year points to the worst kind of weather, neither clearly winter nor clearly autumn, but a mix of fog, overcast, wet and cold conditions.

Colder days ahead

From the start of November, daytime highs drop to about 6 to 7 degrees Celsius, and arctic air masses are expected to reach Poland, pushing temperatures gradually lower and below freezing in places. Forecasters warn that night frosts are possible in the week of 2 November, particularly in foothill and mountain areas where the first snowfalls of the season are expected. Snow may also settle in towns at the foot of the mountains, giving the Podhale landscape a winter look. Warsaw can expect sunny spells from Saturday to Monday, though it sits on the edge of the upper low's influence.