The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management has issued a series of warnings for nine provinces. The main threats are sudden river surges caused by snowmelt and ice jams, particularly dangerous in Masovia along the Wkra river. Simultaneously, forecasters are warning of dense fog, which overnight and in the morning may reduce visibility on roads in Masovia, Greater Poland, and Lower Silesia to just 200 meters.
Ice jams on the Wkra
A massive 300-meter-long ice jam has blocked the riverbed of the Wkra in the Joniec municipality, causing water to spill onto nearby fields and buildings.
Fog alerts in Poland
IMGW warns of dense fog in Masovia and Greater Poland, where visibility will drop to 200 meters, hindering road traffic.
Snowmelt and rising river levels
Western and northern provinces are grappling with the effects of the thaw; water levels in the Drwęca and Oder rivers exceed warning stages.
The hydrological situation in Poland is becoming increasingly difficult, directly resulting from progressing snowmelt and the release of ice from riverbeds. The highest level of threat was recorded in the river basins of the Lower Silesian, Masovian, and Warmian-Masurian provinces. On the Wkra river, in the Joniec municipality, a massive, three-hundred-meter ice jam has formed, leading to local flooding and blockages of water flow. The fire service in the Warmia and Masuria region has already intervened dozens of times, mainly pumping water out of basements and securing property from the elements. The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management has also issued meteorological warnings concerning dense fog. This phenomenon is expected to cover a significant area of the country, including Masovia, Greater Poland, and Lower Silesia. Visibility in many places is expected to drop below 200 meters, posing a real danger to drivers. The fog results from the influx of moist air masses and temperature drops near the ground, which, combined with moist soil from old snow, creates ideal conditions for its formation. Hydrologists predict that river levels, including the Drwęca and the Oder near Wrocław, will continue to rise in the coming days. Ice jams are a natural but dangerous phenomenon during thaws, when flowing ice encounters terrain obstacles or narrowing riverbeds, leading to a rapid rise in the water level. In Polish history, ice-jam floods have repeatedly caused severe material losses, particularly in the lower courses of the Vistula and Oder rivers.The situation in agriculture also reflects the arrival of spring, as specialists already recommend the first maintenance treatments, such as harrowing winter crops and meadows, provided soil moisture conditions allow. Rising temperatures also favor the resurgence of invasive plants, requiring vigilance from growers. Meanwhile, trade forecasts are emerging regarding product prices for the upcoming Easter. Analysts expect an increase in egg prices and supply problems with early strawberries, an effect of unstable weather in growing regions and rising agricultural production costs. „Hydrological situation is dynamic due to progressing snowmelt processes and the occurrence of ice phenomena on rivers.” — IMGW Statement