Skip to main content

 Climates to travel
 World climate guide
 
 
 Home
 Africa
 N.America
 S.America
 Antarctica
 Asia
 Caribbean
 Europe
 M.East
 Oceania
 All the countries
 Home
 Africa
 N.America
 S.America
 Antarctica
 Asia
 Caribbean
 Europe
 M.East
 Oceania
 All the countries

Climate - Poland


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Poland

Map - Poland

You are here: Home --> Europe --> Poland



Index


  • Introduction
  • The coast - Gdansk
  • Inland areas - Warsaw
  • Mountains

Introduction



In Poland, an Eastern European country that extends from 49 to almost 55 degrees north latitude, the climate is continental, with very cold winters, often below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), and warm summers. The climate is milder along the northern coast, overlooking the Baltic Sea, while it becomes progressively more continental going to the south, where the distance from the sea is greater.
The country is largely flat, but in the south, on the border with Czechia and Slovakia, there are mountain ranges, the Sudetes and the Tatras (the latter are part of the Western Carpathians).

Precipitation is generally not abundant, since it amounts to 550/600 millimeters (21/26 inches) per year in most of the country, while it exceeds 1,000 mm (40 in) only in the mountainous areas.

The sun in Poland is rarely seen from November to February, while in summer, also thanks to the length of the days, it shines for a good (though not exceptional) number of hours. Generally, in the lowlands there are 1,750 to 1,850 hours of sunshine per year.

Warsaw

Winter, from December to February, is cold and gray throughout the country. The average temperatures in January is around freezing along the Baltic coast, and progressively decreases towards the south and the east: it ranges from about 0.5 °C (33 °F) in the north-western area to -3 °C (26.5 °F) in the north-eastern areas, on the border with Belarus and Lithuania, while it's around -1 °C (30 °F) in the southern area. In Warsaw, the capital, located near the center of the country, the average in January is -1.5 °C (29.5 °F). The ground is often covered with snow for long periods, although snowfalls are generally not abundant.
However, the weather can have different characteristics: usually, the sky is gray, the temperature is around freezing or a few degrees below, and a light snow falls. Sometimes, when the currents from the Atlantic are more intense, the temperature can rise above freezing, it can rain and the snow can melt.
On the other hand, when cold air masses from Russia reach the country, the temperature decreases by many degrees, and drops below -20 °C (-4 °F). The coldest records are around -27/-32 °C (-17/-25 °F) in the interior, and therefore in much of Poland, while they are around -20 °C (-4 °F) along the northern coast.

Spring, from March to May, is initially cold, so much so that in March it snows and freezes quite often, and in early April, there can still be late cold waves with snow showers. In April and early May, cold days alternate with the first warm days, while by mid-May, the temperature becomes pleasant in a more stable manner, with highs around 18/20 °C (64/68 °F) and sometimes above.

Summer, from June to August, is mild or pleasantly warm. The Baltic coast, which during winter was the mildest zone, becomes the coolest in summer: here, highs in July and August are around 22 °C (72 °F), while they gradually increase towards the south, reaching 25 °C (77 °F) in the center and south of the country.
Summer in Poland is the rainiest season. This is due to the fact that Atlantic disturbances can arrive even in this season, in addition, afternoon thunderstorms may occur on fine days, more frequently in inland areas, and even more so near the Sudetes and Tatra Mountains in the south.
In July, it rains on average for 10 days on the north coast, 11 days in the center-south and 12 days at the foot of the mountains in the south.
Sometimes very hot periods can occur, usually of short duration, during which the temperature can reach or exceed 35 °C (95 °F).

In autumn, from September to November, the temperatures decrease rapidly, but the first half of September is still pleasant. Afterwards, the weather becomes cold and dull.

The coast


Gdansk

Here is the average temperature of Gdansk, located on the northern coast.
Gdansk - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January-41-1.3263429.7
February-42-0.8263530.6
March-162.2304236
April2127365344.5
May61611.4436252.5
June102015506858.9
July132217.4557263.2
August122217.2547263
September91713.2486355.7
October5128.3415346.9
November163.6354238.5
December-220.1283632.2
Year4.111.57.839.452.846

In Gdansk, precipitation amounts to 570 mm (22.5 in) per year; the rainiest period runs from June to August, while precipitation in winter is not abundant.
Gdansk - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January301.27
February2516
March301.27
April301.27
May552.29
June602.49
July803.19
August702.89
September652.69
October552.29
November451.89
December351.49
Year57022.4100

The Baltic Sea is very cool, if not cold, even in summer, however, the water temperature reaches 18 °C (64 °F) in August.
Gdansk - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January440
February338
March337
April440
May847
June1356
July1763
August1865
September1661
October1355
November948
December643
Year9.849.6

Inland areas


Warsaw

As mentioned, the climate in inland areas is slightly more continental, as we can see from the average temperatures of Warsaw.
Warsaw - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January-41-1.5253429.3
February-33-0.3263731.4
March-173.4314538.1
April4159.3395848.7
May92014.3486857.7
June122317.8547464
July142519.8587767.7
August142519.2577666.6
September101914.3496657.7
October5139415548.1
November163.9344439
December-22-0.1283631.8
Year513.39.140.95648.5

Precipitation in Warsaw is not abundant, in fact, it amounts to about 550 mm (21.6 in) per year; the driest seasons are winter and spring, while the rainiest is summer. Here is average precipitation.
Warsaw - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January301.28
February301.28
March301.28
April351.47
May552.29
June602.49
July853.310
August602.48
September5028
October401.68
November401.68
December351.48
Year55021.799

Mountains


In southern Poland, where mountain ranges such as the Sudetes and the Tatras are found, the climate is naturally colder. Winters are cold and snowy, but not much colder than in the lowlands (because of the temperature inversion, a phenomenon whereby cold air stagnates on the lowest layers of the atmosphere, which is typical of cold plains in winter). Summers are cool, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. In Zakopane, a popular tourist resort, at 850 meters (2,800 ft) above sea level, the average temperature ranges from -3.5 °C (25.5 °F) in January to 16 °C (61 °F) in July. At higher altitudes, at 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) above sea level, it ranges from -8 °C (17.5 °F) in January to 9 °C (48 °F) in July.
On the slopes of these southern mountains and in the valleys, a warm, dry wind, similar to the Foehn (the Halny in the Tatras and the Moazagotl in the Sudetes), can blow, especially in early spring and in autumn; sometimes, this wind can be strong and cause damage.
The highest peak in the country is Mount Rysy, 2,503 meters (8,212 feet) high, on the border with Slovakia.
Here are the average temperatures of Mount Sniežka, the highest among the "Giant Mountains" (or Karkonosze), located at 1,600 meters (5,300 ft) of altitude, in the southwest of the country, at the border with the Czech Republic.
Sniezka - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January-8-3-5.9172621.4
February-9-4-6.2162520.8
March-7-2-4.2202924.4
April-230.1283732.2
May274.6354540.3
June5107.8415146.1
July71310455550
August81310.1465550.3
September485.9384742.6
October052.2314036
November-41-1.4253429.5
December-7-2-4.7192823.5
Year-0.94.11.5530.339.435



When to go and what to pack in Poland

© Copyright Climatestotravel.com. 

Back to Europe

All the countries


Share this page:
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Whatsapp Email

 See also (cities or regions):

 Bialystok
 Bielsko Biala
 Gdansk
 Jelenia Gora
 Katowice
 Krakow
 Lodz
 Lublin
 Poznan
 Others (expand)
 Swinoujscie
 Szczecin
 Warsaw
 Wroclaw

 Nearby countries:

 Belarus
 Czech Republic
 Denmark
 European Russia
 Germany
 Lithuania
 Slovakia
 Sweden

 Continents:
 Africa
 North America
 South America
 Antarctica
 Asia
 Caribbean
 Europe
 Middle East
 Oceania

 Search in the website:


Home About Contact Us Link Policy
Home
About
Contact Us
Link
Policy