Poland Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Warsaw, Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław, and Poznań
Summary
Poland experienced an uncomfortably warm mid-summer, punctuated by persistent heat spells that severely depleted water levels along the Vistula River and forced emergency power station slowdowns. While local conditions were not record-shattering, the wider May to July period pushed Poland's three-month average well above historical norms, mirroring an extraordinary global trend that saw the planet log its 2nd warmest such window on record, with seasonable conditions expected to return through late summer.
This month in numbers
July 2026 delivered an average temperature of 18.49°C across Poland, running 1.1°C above the 1961–1990 baseline and ranking 41st in 87 years of observational records. Although modest compared to the record 22.17°C set in July 2006, the month coincided with exceptional global warmth. Worldwide land temperatures reached 15.8°C, marking the 3rd warmest July on record globally with an anomaly of +1.6°C.
What changed
The broader May to July season told a far warmer story, with a 3-month average of 17.22°C standing 1.8°C above average to mark Poland's 11th warmest such period on record. Globally, land temperatures over the same 3-month window averaged 14.34°C, making it the 2nd warmest May to July on record worldwide. Poland sat 1.20°C cooler than the European continental average anomaly of +2.25°C, but the overall trajectory remains relentless, fitting a long-term regional warming trend of 2.00°C above baseline following 2025's 10th warmest year on record.
What’s driving change?
Poland's summer warming is strongly influenced by that drag hot air northward from the Mediterranean and stall high-pressure ridges over Central Europe. Combined with the fundamental reality that , these atmospheric blocks created dry, hot conditions that severely lowered Vistula River levels, forcing capacity cuts at major coal-fired power plants.
Looking ahead
Long-range seasonal forecasts indicate that temperatures across Central Europe are likely to remain slightly above average through late summer and into early autumn, with periodic cooler air masses easing severe heat stress.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Poland
Köppen Dfb · ContinentalPoland has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb: Humid continental - warm summer), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 19.3°C, while January is the coldest at -0.1°C. Annual precipitation averages around 662mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Poland
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Poland
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Poland
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Poland
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Poland
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Poland. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (7.4°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 22.2°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+4.4°C).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Poland
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Poland changing?
Poland is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Poland?
Poland has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb: Humid continental - warm summer), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 19.3°C, while January is the coldest at -0.1°C. Annual precipitation averages around 662mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Poland come from?
Climate data for Poland comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Poland climate data cover?
The Poland climate profile covers Warsaw, Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Poland
How often is the Poland climate update refreshed?
The Poland climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Poland climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Poland climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.