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Poland braces for record‑breaking heatwave as temperatures near 40 °C
The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) forecasts that much of Poland will experience a sustained heatwave in late July and early August 2026, with maximum temperatures reaching 36 °C to 40 °C in many regions. The outlook includes a hot air mass from the southwest and forecasts of intense thunderstorms, especially over Elbląg, where heavy rain, hail and wind gusts up to 80 km/h are expected.
The extreme heat is driving a sharp rise in consumer demand for fuel and cooling. Queries for firewood and pellet surged by roughly 700 % in a single day, while interest in air‑conditioning rose by about 110 %. Pellet prices have climbed to 1 500‑2 100 zł per tonne, prompting the Polish Council of Pellet and the government to propose a tax relief for pellet purchases in the personal‑income‑tax (PIT) return.
In Warsaw, the proliferation of external air‑conditioning units on apartment facades has triggered legal disputes. Under the 1994 Act on the ownership of premises, owners must obtain consent from the building community before installing such units, and neighbours can invoke civil and criminal provisions if the devices cause excessive noise or water runoff.
Lithuanian forecasters also warn of a warming trend, expecting temperatures up to 31 °C mid‑week, indicating the broader regional nature of the heatwave.
Entities
Elblag · European Centre for Medium‑Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) · Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) · Instytut Meteorologii i Gospodarki Wodnej (IMGW) · Lithuania · Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service · Lithuanian Meteorological Service · Poland · Polish Council of Pellet · Polish Rada Pelletu · Polish government · Słubice
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Thunderstorms in Poland may produce wind gusts up to 80 km/h. radiokielce.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Lithuanian forecast indicates a high‑pressure area will bring clear skies on Thursday. aina.lt
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Polish forecast expects a cooling period with maximum temperatures below 25 °C on Tuesday.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] IMGW expects this heat wave to be the last extreme heat episode of the year in Poland. wiadomosci.gazeta.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Lithuanian forecasters expect temperatures to reach up to 31 °C on Friday. aina.lt
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Poland's IMGW predicts peak temperatures of 38‑40 °C in western voivodeships on July 31. wiadomosci.gazeta.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A storm front will bring hail, heavy rain and wind gusts up to 28 m/s in parts of Poland early this week. www.15min.lt
- [○ 1 SOURCE] IMGW forecasts temperatures could reach 40 °C on August 5 in south‑eastern Polish regions. wiadomosci.gazeta.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A storm forecast for Elbląg on 27 July 2026 may bring up to 20 mm of rain, wind speeds of 80 km/h and possible hail. fakty.elblag.pl
- [● 2 SOURCES] IMGW forecasts maximum temperatures of up to 40 °C in several regions of Poland in early August 2026. wiadomosci.gazeta.pl · radiokielce.pl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Lithuanian forecaster Tadas Kantautas predicts temperatures up to 31 °C mid‑week with westerly wind gusts of 15‑18 m/s. aina.lt
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Rising heat and fire risk in Mediterranean countries are prompting more tourists to consider Scandinavia and northern Poland as holiday destinations. www.rmf24.pl