Poland braces for heat wave and severe thunderstorms amid nationwide alerts
The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) issued first‑ and second‑degree warnings for intense rain, thunderstorms, hail and wind gusts of up to 70 km/h across many Polish voivodeships on July 13‑14. Forecasts predict up to 80 mm of precipitation in some areas, with the strongest alerts covering the Podkarpackie, Świętokrzyskie, Mazowieckie, Łódzkie and neighboring regions.
A new warm air mass is expected to arrive from Thursday, bringing temperatures above 30 °C in western and central Poland and brief periods of heavy rain and storms. Meteorologists note the heat will be short‑lived, with cooler, cloudy conditions returning by the weekend, but they warn that thunderstorms may still produce local flooding and hail. Residents are advised to heed official warnings, avoid flooded rivers, secure property against strong winds, and stay indoors when safe.
The alerts are part of a coordinated effort by IMGW and the Governmental Crisis Management Centre (RCB) to inform the public and mitigate potential damage from the combined heat and storm threat.