Severe Storms Sweep Across Poland, Causing Damage

The news in Polish

1. majowy
   Odnosi się do miesiąca maj. ↩︎
2. zmienny
   Taki, który często się zmienia. ↩︎
3. grad  (m.)
   Opad atmosferyczny w postaci lodowych bryłek. ↩︎
4. ostrzeżenie  (n.)
   Informacja ostrzegająca przed czymś. ↩︎
5. meteorologiczny
   Dotyczący meteorologii, nauki o pogodzie. ↩︎
6. region  (m.)
   Część powierzchni o określonych granicach. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What weather phenomena were mentioned during the weekend in Poland?

Question 2: Where were the storms especially strong?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
majowy	May
zmienny	changeable
grad  (m.)	hail
ostrzeżenie  (n.)	warning
meteorologiczny	meteorological
region  (m.)	region

Read the full story

Over the May Day long weekend, Poland experienced a tumultuous mix of weather, with severe storms marked by thunder, hail, and strong winds gripping various parts of the country. The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) issued several warnings as meteorologists predicted hazardous conditions that could potentially lead to material damage and risk to life and health.

In the northeast and southern regions, including Podlaskie, Lublin, Podkarpackie, and Małopolskie provinces, the IMGW alerted residents to the possibility of ground frosts. Temperatures in these areas were expected to drop to minus 2 degrees Celsius at ground level. Meanwhile, the west of the country could see temperatures reaching up to 27 degrees Celsius, particularly in the Lubusz and West Pomeranian regions.

On Friday, a record warm day for the holiday weekend, thunderstorms moved across central Poland. According to IMGW expert Ilona Śmigrocka, these storms had the potential to intensify with wind speeds reaching up to 90 km/h, accompanied by rainfall of up to 20 mm and large hail. Areas notably affected included the Żuławy Wiślane, Kujawy, Greater Poland, and Silesia regions.

These storms, potentially evolving into supercells, were particularly intense in the Łódź Voivodeship on Saturday evening, where they were captured by individuals sharing footage online. The storm, marked by a severe hailstorm, significantly impaired visibility and damaged vehicles along the A1 motorway near Piotrków Trybunalski, where cars had to pull over due to the dangerous conditions.

Moving forward, IMGW forecasts suggested that the threat of storms would decrease as they moved eastwards. However, the southern region was still expected to experience significant weather events, with the possibility of tornadoes, albeit with a low likelihood.

The weather over the weekend is expected to stabilise slightly, but considerable rainfall is projected in the mountainous areas and the Mazovian region. Temperatures are predicted to drop slightly, with the northern coast and areas like Warmia and Mazury seeing cooler weather. In contrast, southern provinces like Podkarpackie and Małopolskie will remain warm, with temperatures peaking around 24 degrees Celsius.

Residents are urged to stay informed via official weather updates and to exercise caution due to the unpredictable nature of these weather conditions. The events over the holiday weekend highlight the variability of Poland’s spring weather, characterised by abrupt shifts from warm, sunny intervals to sudden, intense storms.

Info: “Polish Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Polish”, a language school dedicated to teaching Polish. We offer a variety of online courses to help you learn Polish efficiently and effectively.