Poland has a temperate, continental climate. This means that there are 4 distinct seasons per year: spring, winter, summer, and autumn. This chapter will walk you through all four and how they manifest themselves in the various parts of Poland.

spring

Poland is quite lovely in spring, though perhaps mainly because February is an awful month in the country weather-wise, making March look fantastic. Nature, and especially flowers, begins to bloom and thrive in late March, and temperatures rise steadily throughout the whole season. City life begins to flourish, and outdoor activities and picnics can be seen everywhere from late April. The days also become increasingly longer, which has a positive effect on energy levels. Heavy wind or rain are infrequent after March.

In mid-March, temperatures reach 5°C by day and -2°C by night on average. In mid-April, it's 12°C by day and 3°C by night. Mid-May yields temperatures of 19°C by day and 9°C by night, and, finally in mid-June you can expect 23°C by day and 12°C by night. Now, there are a few corrections to make here. The northeast and far south are typically a bit colder, approximately by 2°C on average. What is more, if one only took the average from the last 5 years, where it has been significantly hotter, it would likely be 2°C warmer on average.

summer

Summer in Poland gets really hot - typically a little hotter than in countries like Germany or France. However, rain is more common in the summer - though it is very welcome by everyone, helping prevent wildfires and cooling off after days of heat. Despite the warmth, Poland is fantastic in this period, and especially Northern Poland with its lakes and large cities with a lot of shade. The population center moves much closer to the coast in the summer, and there are more activities for kids. Its a time of picnics, festivals, biking, and sunbathing.

In mid-July, the average temperature is 24°C by day and 14°C by night. In mid-August, it's 23°C by day and 13°C by night on average. However, like with spring, it has been significantly hotter in the last 5 years than that, perhaps closer to 3°C more. It is generally hotter in dry areas like Central Poland and Southern Poland in this period (approximately 2°C hotter), and a bit cooler near the coast, perhaps thanks to the wind.

autumn

In autumn, the days start getting noticeably shorter and bleaker. Though not as visible in September, urban life begins to hide inside buildings. Rain is prevalent and rain mixed with snow begins to appear in November. Throughout September in October, the colorful trees are the only thing to brighten up one's mood. By late November, there are no leaves left and nature goes into hibernation.

Average temperatures in mid-September reach 19°C by day and 9°C by night. In October, it's 13°C by day and 5°C by night already. In mid-November, they dip to 6°C by day and 1°C by night on average. In this period, Northern Poland and Southern, especially Southeastern Poland, are a little colder than the rest of the country, typically by 2°C.

winter

Though not in the last 5 years, Poland sees significant amounts of snow in the winter. Snow brings out some life, especially among children, and ski resorts and winter-wonderland-towns begin to flourish in Southern Poland. Ice skating is a very popular activity in Poland in this time as well. If you are worried about the roads, don't be unless you're going far south, which, in winter, you should be doing. Roads can be slipper and snowfall can be to heavy to properly defrost the roads, so be very careful on hilly terrain. This is not to say that it's very dangerous - millions of people drive there every day, and, though accidents do happen, thanks to the slow driving they rarely end in serious injury.

In December, temperatures average out at 2°C by day and -2°C by night. In mid-January, they dip to 0°C by day and -6°C by night. By mid-February, they return to a healthier... no, they stay the same as in January. Sorry. Something to note is that in Southern Poland and Eastern Poland temperatures tend to be a bit lower, approximately by around 2°C, while in Northwestern Poland they tend to be a bit warmer, by 1°C on average. In recent years, it has also generally been a bit warmer during the winter, with less snowfall outside of the mountains.

when is the best time to go?

It depends where you're going and what for. If you're going to Northern Poland, it's July-August. In Central Poland, it's May-June or September. In Southern Poland, it's May-June for trekking and January for skiing. If you're going to be staying in large cities, it's definitely June.

Though Poland does get a bit more touristy in the summer, it never reaches annoying levels - not even close, not even in Cracow. You do not have to worry about tourists ruining the atmosphere in Poland. Also, you should know that it's not worth it to come to Poland for Christmas, as the decorations are not amazing and celebrations are kept private.

Christmas

In Poland, Christmas Eve is celebrated on the 24^th of December with a Christmas dinner consisting mainly of fish and cake. Though the streets are decorated, these decorations are not nearly as beautiful as in cities like London or Berlin, and Christmas is not commercialized to the same extent as in Western Europe. The exception to this rule is Wrocław, which hosts a big Christmas market each year. Overall, however, we do not recommend heading to Poland for Christmas.

Stores close early on the 24^th and remain closed on the 25^th and 26^th.

Easter

Easter is a moving holiday in mid-spring and is celebrated quite extensively in Poland, and especially Easter Sunday. During Easter, Poles gather together to eat rye soup, eggs, hams, and cake. In fact, Poland can be quite beautiful in Easter, especially when it is later in the year (in May). However, Easter decorations are not as common in cities as Christmas decorations.

Stores close early on Saturday before Easter Sunday, and remain closed on Easter Sunday.

New Year's Eve

On New Year's Eve, friends gather together to drink, party, dance, and light fireworks. In large cities, fireworks are very common and can continue for more than an hour after midnight. If you like to party, Poland can be a fun New Year's getaway, especially Cracow and Warsaw, where there are the most fireworks.

Stores are open normally on New Year's Eve, but closed on the 1^st of January.

National holidays

There are a number of national holidays on which most stores are closed. In winter, it's only the 6^th of January. In spring, it's the 1^st and the 3^rd of May and one day in June (moving holiday). In the summer, it's a day in late June (moving holiday) and Polish Military Day on the 15^th of August. In autumn, it's the 1^st and the 11^th of November.

Sundays

Since 2017, the Polish government has begun gradually banning trade on Sundays. As of 2019, stores (except for small owner-run stores) are closed on most Sundays.