Sunday, June 28, 2026, will go down in meteorological history as the hottest day in the history of measurements in Poland. The wave of African heat that has been sweeping across Europe for several days has reached its zenith, turning Polish cities into heated ovens. The most difficult situation was recorded in Toruń, where telemetry data confirmed a shocking result of 40.5 degrees Celsius.
The country in the grip of a "silent killer"
Extreme temperatures are not just a record in tables, but a real threat to the health and life of millions of Poles. The World Health Organization (WHO) is sounding the alarm, pointing out that such high temperatures pose a direct risk to the circulatory and respiratory systems, especially in the elderly and children.
Medical services across the country are working at full capacity. The number of reports related to fainting, heatstroke, and cardiac problems has increased several times over the last few hours. Doctors are appealing for people to stay indoors, avoid direct sunlight, and drink plenty of water.
The danger is compounded by the fact that there is no relief in the form of a cool night after a record-hot day. The phenomenon of so-called tropical nights, during which the temperature does not drop below 20-25 degrees, prevents the body from regenerating, leading to faster exhaustion.
Infrastructure paralysis and travel disruptions
The extreme heat has also taken its toll on critical infrastructure. In several regions of Poland, there have been serious railway failures. Under the influence of high temperatures, tracks are deforming, which has forced network managers to limit train speeds and, in extreme cases, completely halt traffic on key sections.
The situation near Legionowo showed how dangerous failures can be during a heatwave. Firefighters had to evacuate two trains where the temperature inside the carriages became a health hazard for passengers due to the lack of air conditioning and power. In total, several hundred people were evacuated.
Experts warn that this is just the beginning of the problems. If the forecasts hold true, violent weather phenomena could hit the country in the coming hours, including storms and strong winds, which, after such a long period of drought and heat, could cause enormous damage to energy infrastructure.
Is this the new climate norm?
Scientists have no doubts: what we are observing is the result of progressive climate change, which increasingly translates into extreme weather phenomena. The records falling in Europe – from Scandinavia to Poland – are proof that weather systems are becoming more and more unpredictable and dangerous.
In public debate, questions are increasingly arising about the state's readiness for such extreme conditions. Critics point to the inefficiency of urban infrastructure, which is not adapted to temperatures exceeding 40 degrees, and the lack of systemic solutions for protecting the population from the effects of "urban heat islands."
For now, we must follow weather reports and exercise the utmost caution. Meteorologists warn that the coming hours may bring further threats, and the heatwave will not subside as quickly as we would like. It is worth limiting all physical activity to an absolute minimum.
This article was prepared automatically by the Wiadomości PRO editorial team with the support of artificial intelligence.
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