Poland faces late-August heatwave peaking at 32 degrees before autumn cooling

Synoptic pattern shift

Poland will experience a sharp transition in weather patterns during the final week of August 2026. The week will open under the influence of cool air originating from the north across the Norwegian Sea and Scandinavia. Meteorologists attribute this initial chill to an atmospheric setup pairing high pressure over the British Isles with low pressure over western Russia. Conditions on Monday, 24 August, will resemble mid-May weather, with maximum temperatures ranging from 18 to 21 degrees Celsius in general forecasts, dropping locally to 18 degrees Celsius in sub-mountain areas and reaching 19 degrees Celsius in the northeast and up to 24 degrees Celsius in the west and south. Light rain will accompany the lower temperatures in parts of the country.

The synoptic layout will reverse as the week progresses, drawing warmer air northward. Forecaster Tomasz Wakszyński from tvnmeteo.pl described the structural change behind the impending influx of tropical air.

The synoptic situation will completely reverse: this time the high pressure will be over Russia, the low pressure over the British Isles, and tropical air will briefly flow into our region from the south.

Midweek warming across regions

Sunshine will increase over Poland starting on Tuesday, 25 August, as temperatures climb between 21 and 24 degrees Celsius across most regions, reaching up to 25 degrees Celsius in southern and southwestern areas. The warming trend will continue on Wednesday, 26 August, with expected daytime highs of 22 to 25 degrees Celsius. By Thursday, 27 August, hot conditions will establish themselves firmly in the south and west, where temperatures will reach up to 27 degrees Celsius.

The national meteorological agency outlined the overall trajectory for the late-holiday period in its weekly outlook.

The last week of the summer holidays will bring a gradual warming progressing from the south and west. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will see more and more sun. The end of the week will bring a worsening of the weather, thunderstorms with passing rain showers.

Friday heatwave peak and incoming storms

The warmest conditions will peak on Friday, 28 August. Forecasters expect maximum temperatures in southern and southwestern Poland to range between 30 and 32 degrees Celsius, with regional models projecting values as high as 33 degrees Celsius in the southwest. Central Poland will record temperatures between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius, or roughly 28 degrees Celsius in central urban areas, while northern districts will remain cooler but exceed 20 degrees Celsius.

The intense heat on Friday will arrive alongside moderate to heavy cloud cover, scattered showers, and localized thunderstorms. Weather forecasts from IMGW indicate that some storms could produce torrential downpours and hail as atmospheric instability builds ahead of an incoming cold front.

Cooler turn for early September

A cold front will cross Poland on Saturday, 29 August, bringing widespread thunderstorms and beginning a steady downward trend in temperatures. Saturday will see daytime highs drop to between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius, primarily in southern and western areas. By Sunday, 30 August, temperatures across the country will decrease further to between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius, with the warmest readings concentrated in the south.

The cooling trend will extend into the opening days of meteorological autumn. Forecasts for Monday, 31 August, project maximum temperatures between 20 and 23 degrees Celsius. On Tuesday, 1 September, temperatures across most of Poland will range from 16 to 24 degrees Celsius, transitioning the country into cooler seasonal averages where daily temperatures will remain below 20 degrees Celsius.