On June 29, Poland recorded hot weather, the highest temperature ever on June 29, surpassing a national record that has existed for more than a century, although this number is still awaiting official confirmation, according to the country's Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW).
IMGW spokeswoman Agnieszka Prasek said temperatures reached 40.5°C in the western border town of Slubice and 40.3°C in Torun on June 29, during a severe heatwave sweeping across Central Europe, according to the Polish News Agency (PAP). The previous national record was 40.2°C, set in Proszkow in southern Poland on July 29, 1921.
Ms. Prasek said the latest data is based on hourly remote measurement data and operating data, while official meteorological stations record temperatures at designated monitoring times. The institute is still verifying the data.
Record-breaking temperatures appeared when IMGW issued heat warnings of level three, the highest level, for many large areas of the country, forecasting temperatures up to 42°C in some areas.
As the heat wave intensified, Polish authorities instructed government ministries to take immediate measures within their respective responsibilities.
Firefighters and police are placed on high alert in the face of increased risks of wildfires and water-related accidents, while the Ministry of Health is strengthening surveillance of cases of heatstroke and dehydration, especially in the elderly and children. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also tasked with supporting Polish citizens abroad, especially those in France and the United States.
