January 2020 – the fifth warmest January in the last half-century

“A warm and dry January – as well as winter, if February does not bring significant changes – will contribute to an increase in the risk of drought in spring and in the following months” – emphasizes IMWM in information sent to PAP on Friday. This will be the result of, among others: “lack of permanent snow cover, which plays an important role in surface water retention, making it an important component of the water balance”.

Total rainfall in most areas of Poland amounted to less than 50%. standards – according to the institute’s data.

IMWM reports that in the last 50 years (1971-2020) it was the fifth warmest January in Poland. In the last decade, similar average temperatures (colder by approx. 1℃) were recorded in 2015 and 2018.

Temperatures in January 2020 were much above the long-term norm almost everywhere in the country, and locally in the south – above the long-term norm – according to IMWM data. The average air temperature was 2.2℃. Deviations from average values ​​(calculated for the years 1981-2010) reached 5℃ in the Suwałki region, in the rest of the country the temperature was 2-5℃. higher than normal. The highest recorded temperatures exceeded 10℃ in the western part of the country.

Snowfall in Poland was recorded in the first decade of January and at the end of the month. Then, snow cover formed not only in the mountains (e.g. on Kasprowy Wierch – 138 cm), but also in the Foothills and Przedgórze and in the north-eastern part of the country (3-7 cm). Additionally, snow cover lasted only for a few hours in central Poland at the end of January.

The temperature was exceptionally high not only in Poland in January this year. Data from the Copernicus program implemented by the European Commission in cooperation with the European Space Agency show that the global temperature was the highest in the history of measurements.

Temperatures in January 2020 were higher than the 1981-2010 average in most European countries. They were exceptionally high for this time of year in the north and east, in a band stretching east and southeast from Norway to Russia, according to Copernicus data.

“For Europe, it was the warmest January on record, about 0.2℃ warmer than the last warmest January in 2007 and 3.1℃ warmer than the average January temperatures in 1981-2010.” – we read in the Copernicus program announcement.

Detailed data for specific countries is also provided. For example, in the case of Norway it was the warmest January since 1900, and in the case of Finland – at least since 1961. IMWM reports that, according to synoptic maps, in southern Europe the temperature in January reached 15-17℃.

“The significant role of atmospheric circulation in shaping thermal and precipitation conditions is confirmed by many years of research conducted around the world. Maintaining such weather conditions may raise concerns due to further environmental consequences, although the first days of February confirm the significant variability of weather conditions – atmospheric precipitation, including intense snowfall, both in southern Poland and most of the country. – notes IMWM.