According to climatologist Professor Bogdan Chojnicki, December 11 saw a record daily average temperature of 8.2°C, making it the third record temperature day this month.

Previous December records were set on December 9, at 9°C, and December 10, at 8.9°C. He added that days as warm as December 9, 10 and 11 have not been recorded in Poland since 1951.

Data from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management show that on December 11 the maximum temperature reached 14.5°C in the southwestern part of the country, in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, while the minimum temperature fell to -6.6°C in the Silesian Voivodeship.

By comparison, between 1991 and 2020 the average maximum air temperature in December was 4.1°C in Kołobrzeg, while the average minimum temperature was -8.8°C in mountainous regions.

“Such a warm December means that 2025 will be another year warmer than normal, and the last year with temperatures significantly below the current norm was 2013,” Chojnicki said.

He added that “analyzing daily temperature values for all of Poland, we did not have a single day below normal this December.”

“Everything indicates that after this decade ends in 2031 we will have to revise our thinking about Poland's climate, i.e., the average annual temperature. Most likely, this value will rise again and exceed 9°C. This is highly probable, and although we are only halfway through this period, unfortunately, indications are that temperatures in our country will continue to rise, because that is how global warming works,” he said.

The climatologist added that heavy snowfall at the end of November may have suggested a harsh winter ahead, but those expectations were not borne out.

“A lot of snow fell in the country at the end of November, which could suggest that a harsh winter and a frosty December would follow, but in reality, this did not happen,” he said.

“We have this scenario again: a southern air mass flows into Poland in December, causing a corresponding rise in temperature. Such conditions allow us to dress lightly, do not impede our daily lives, and importantly, also reduce our living costs, i.e., heating, so we can have positive feelings. But remember that temperatures are constantly rising, and sooner or later we will need to invest in things like air conditioning. Higher temperatures often mean very severe droughts. These do not always occur, but with rising temperatures, their likelihood increases,” Chojnicki said.

According to the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management’s long-term forecast, the highest maximum temperature by the end of December could reach 6°C in southern, southwestern and southeastern Poland between December 15 and 21. The forecast also indicates that the average minimum temperature could drop to -6°C in mountainous regions between December 29 and January 4. (PAP)

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