Warsaw - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
The climate is temperate. Generally the summers aren't exceedingly hot (though a bit humid because of the river), and the winters are dry and cold. However, Warsaw decorates heavily for Christmas so it's very bright and cheerful for awhile during the winter. - Oct 2021
Four seasons :) Spring/summer are amazing!! 70s-80s it was glorious! The city truly transforms when winter leaves. Winter is cold and temperatures are very constant, no jumping up and down from high to low temps. Not a lot of snow, maybe less than 5” all winter. Lots of snow dustings though. - Jan 2021
Moderate to hot in the summer (20-30 degrees Celsius) with mostly sunny days and occasional thunderstorms. Mildy cold in the winter (-10 degrees Celsius) with overcast/cloudy skies and limited sunlight. Snow tends to melt shortly after falling. - Sep 2019
Long, cold winters, but not as bitterly cold as I had expected. 1-2 weeks per winter it would stay below freezing 24-7, but rarely colder than the teens for the lowest low temps. Typical winter days would be freezing overnight and maybe 30s-40 during the day. - May 2018
Moderate climate. Can get humid in summer and cold in the winter but nothing too extreme. - Apr 2018
4 seasons, but fall tends to be very short. It will be sunny and then the next day it snows and winter is here. First snow last year was October, this year it was November. - Dec 2016
Short, but hot, summer (at least last summer was like this) and very long winter.
Do not underestimate the winters here. I thought after Prague and Vienna I would be ready, but this is worse. It's about as cold as you might expect--comparable to northern Germany, etc.--but there really is VERY little sunlight here from October-April. The days are short, and there is heavy cloud cover most of the time. Be ready to take vitamin D, use a "happy lamp" and to take a trip somewhere sunnier at least once during the winter for your own sanity.
I knew I was somewhat susceptible to SAD, but I was surprised by how much I was affected. I know many people have had a similar experience. On the positive side--lots of cheap flights to warmer places! - Mar 2016
Usually mild and beautiful from mid-April until September, then cold, grey, and damp. Even when it doesn't get too far below freezing, it's windy, rainy, and dark by 3:30 PM. Winters here are just a bummer. Bring happy lamps. - Sep 2015
This is definitely a four-season climate. Summers are generally warm but not overly humid. It can get hot but the heat waves don't seem to last long. Spring is usually short but beautiful. Autumn is probably the most beautiful season of the year here and seems to last quite long. Winters can be brutal, not so much for the snow and cold but for the long hours of darkness. Even when it's daylight you may not see the sun for weeks, as it is often overcast for long periods. I've lived in other parts of Europe with similar long and dark days so I'm somewhat used to it. If you're not used to it, be prepared. It definitely affects people's attitudes and outlook on life. You'll notice a definite change, as people seem to just focus on getting through the day and the winter. Summers are the opposite, which make for great long days and which allow for a lot of after-work activity during the week such as bike rides, walks in the parks, outings with friends, etc. The beer gardens and party atmosphere certainly come out in as soon as the weather allows. - Nov 2014
Unpredictable! Our first summer was hot and humid, this one was rainy and chilly. Our first winter was snowy, gray, and cold this one has been very mild and the sun has been out more often. That being said it still gets dark very early in winter and sun is abnormal. Bring your vitamin D supplements. If you are prone to SADD, prepare your defenses. - Feb 2012
Highly unpredictable. Weather reports are almost totally unreliable, especially in spring. Expect a coffin lid of gray clouds from late fall through late winter for weeks on end. Autumn and spring can be nice, with some sunny stretches for weeks. Summers can be both hot and quite steamy to cool and rainy. Hard to say. - Nov 2011
Lot of rain in the summer. Winter days are very short. - Aug 2011
Personally, I prefer cooler climates. Warsaw is quite hot in the spring/summer and has had a ton of rain as well; winters are beautiful, as it actually gets nice and cold with real snow on the ground that lasts for a few days/weeks. - Aug 2011
It is cold and dark from November through February, but I have grown to enjoy it. Summer is lovely and relatively cool. - Mar 2011
Extremely cold in the winter and warm but not like Florida in the summer. - Jan 2011
Six distinct seasons - from metres of snow and tops of minus 10 in winter, a slushy early spring, full spring, short-ish but precious (and can be warm) summer, autumn and breathtaking golden autumn. Bring all your clothes! - Dec 2010
This has been an unusually cold winter with lots of snow and high temperatures in the teens. There's very little sun in the winter and the days are very short - in Dec and Jan, the sun sets at 3:30.Spring starts in April and is beautiful, summers are mild and somewhat rainy. In Sept, what the Poles call "golden fall" begins and lasts till mid-Oct, early Nov. - Feb 2010
Recently Warsaw has had some crazy weather compared to previous years. This summer it has been mostly rainy and mild, while the winter is your typical Eastern European cold, albeit much milder than before. - Aug 2009
It is beautiful starting in May. It runs the gamut from chilly to bone-chilling from October to April. Starting in November it gets quite cold and dark, starting at about 3 p.m. We didn't see much snow this past winter. - Jun 2008
Normally winter is pretty cold but this year, like last year, it was VERY mild (too mild if you ask me). Summer time is your typical Eastern European summer weather. However, given the warm winter we had this year, I would not be surprised if it snowed in August. - Apr 2008
Grey, with short days in the winter. Lovely in the summer. - Feb 2008
