Poland braces for extreme heatwave: IMGW issues red alerts as temperatures set to hit 36°C
The Polish meteorological institute IMGW has warned of dangerously high temperatures across 15 provinces on 30 and 31 July, with the west of the country under the most severe third-degree alerts. The heat will persist through Friday before storms bring relief over the weekend.
Warnings cover nearly the entire country
IMGW has issued heatwave warnings for 15 of Poland's 16 provinces, with alerts at all three levels of the three-tier scale. The warnings will take effect at noon on Thursday 30 July and remain in force until 20:00 on Friday 31 July. The forecast has prompted authorities to urge residents to limit sun exposure, drink water regularly, and check on vulnerable neighbours.
A heatwave will occur. Maximum temperature from 31°C to 34°C.
Where the heat will peak
The highest, third-degree red alerts cover parts of three western provinces: Lubuskie, Dolnośląskie and Wielkopolskie. IMGW expects maximum temperatures there to reach 33–36°C on Thursday, with the night offering little relief – thermometers will not drop below 19–22°C. Detailed forecasts for Wrocław suggest the city could record as high as 38.2°C, making Dolny Śląsk the likely hotspot of the country. In these areas the heat is expected to ease slightly on Friday, with highs of 31–34°C.
Orange alerts, the second degree, stretch across a broad swath of central and eastern Poland, including Mazowieckie, Łódzkie, Lubelskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Świętokrzyskie, Opolskie, Śląskie, most of Małopolskie and Podkarpackie, and large parts of Wielkopolskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie. In these regions temperatures will climb to 31–34°C on Thursday and could rise further to 36°C on Friday. Nighttime lows will hover between 18°C and 21°C.
The lowest, first-degree yellow alerts are in effect for the north-west – Pomorskie, Zachodniopomorskie, and the northern fringes of Lubuskie, Wielkopolskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie – where highs of 29–34°C are forecast for Thursday.
- Heat warnings activate across 15 provinces; red alerts in western regions.
- Peak heat: temperatures reach 33–36°C in red zones, 31–34°C in orange zones.
- Heat shifts east; orange-alert areas see up to 36°C while west cools slightly.
- Storms and hail arrive; temperatures fall to 23–29°C in many areas but remain at 34–36°C in the south-east.
- Further cooling, with highs of 23–25°C in north and 30–32°C in south; lingering storms in east.
- Possibly hot air returns; temperatures could again touch 36°C in central and southern Poland.
The weekend brings storms and cooler air
Relief from the heat is expected to arrive over the weekend, but it will come with storms. Forecasters predict that Saturday will bring moderate to heavy cloud cover, scattered rain, and thunderstorms, with hail possible in places. The storms are most likely in a belt running from Dolny Śląsk to Podlasie, though the south-east may remain sunny. Temperatures on Saturday will range from 23–26°C in the north to 34–36°C in the south-east. By Sunday the heat will have retreated further, with highs of 23–25°C in the north and 30–32°C in the south, accompanied by further showers and possible hail in the east.
A quieter start to next week is forecast, but hot air may return by midweek. IMGW models suggest temperatures could again reach 36°C in central and southern regions, reigniting the risk of heat stress.
- Red alert July 30
- 36 °C
- Red alert July 31
- 34 °C
- Orange alert July 30
- 34 °C
- Orange alert July 31
- 36 °C
- Yellow alert July 30
- 34 °C
Public health risk and official warnings
IMGW classifies third-degree alerts as warnings for phenomena that may cause very large material losses or catastrophe-scale damage and pose a direct threat to life. Second- and first-degree alerts indicate dangerous weather that can harm health and property. Health authorities advise wearing light clothing, covering the head, using sunscreen, ventilating homes only in the early morning and late evening, and avoiding alcohol and sugary drinks that promote dehydration.
