Thunderstorms sweep across Poland, warnings in force for 11 voivodeships
Isolated but fast-moving thunderstorms struck Poland on Saturday, 13 June, bringing heavy rain, hail, and strong wind gusts. The weather service warned of hazards in 11 voivodeships, with the worst conditions in the north, west, and centre.
Saturday's thunderstorm outbreak
Thunderstorms developed across Poland on Saturday afternoon, mainly affecting northern, western, and central regions. The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) issued warnings for 11 voivodeships. The storms were advective, isolated, and moved rapidly from west to east at 30–40 km/h.
The storms will be generally weak, but locally they may be stronger.
The main hazard was strong wind, with gusts reaching 50–70 km/h and locally up to 80 km/h. Some areas also saw intense rainfall of 10–20 litres per square metre, and small hail was reported in a few places.
Storm progression
- Thunderstorms reported in Masovian (Stanisławów, Mińsk Mazowiecki) and Lower Silesian (Milicz) regions.
- Storms swept from west to east across northern, western, and central Poland, with gusts to 80 km/h and heavy rain.
- Most thunderstorms dissipated by the evening hours.
- Isolated storm cells lingered into the first part of the night before fading completely.
By early afternoon, thunder was already rumbling in parts of Masovian and Lower Silesian voivodeships. Near Stanisławów and Mińsk Mazowiecki, rainfall of 5–10 l/m² and gusts to 70 km/h accompanied the cells. Similar conditions occurred around Milicz in Lower Silesia.
Dzonek forecast that most storms would fade by the evening hours, though a few isolated cells would linger into the first part of the night. The rapid transit of the storms meant that while brief, the impacts could be disruptive in exposed areas.
Warnings and safety advice
The IMGW alert covered a broad swath of the country, underscoring the potential for locally damaging winds. No major damage or injuries were immediately reported, but residents were advised to secure loose objects and avoid open areas during the worst of the gusts.
