Winter Timeline 2024/25

Forecasts for the last winter consensually predicted above-average temperature and precipitation in all months and turned out be indeed warmer than average, but by no means remarkably warm and drier than average, especially in its second half.

 

October 2024 was frost-free in Warsaw, albeit temperature fell below +3C seven times (month-time low of +1.3C on 12 October 2024). The capital of Poland was one of few places in Poland which escaped negative temperatures over that month. Note 50% of recent ten Octobers were frost-free (2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024). In the twentieth century first frost in November in Warsaw was a rarity.

 

The first frost (–2.8C) was measured on 3 November 2024. The first decade of November was abundant in morning frosts, yet average temperatures were late-autumn-like. Sleet was observed during rush hour on 14 November 2024.

21 November 2024
First flurry observed in the morning, stays on the ground for a little while, but melts long before midday.

22 November 2024
First proper snow. Begins to fall before dawn, settles for good, then only partly melts during the day.

23 November 2024 – 24 November 2024
Autumn clashes with winter. Temperature barely above 0C, all sorts of precipitation. Damp and chilly.

25 November 2024
Autumn definitely wins. Day-time high of +12C in full sunshine. I couldn’t be more elated.

26 November 2024 – 30 November 2024
Autumn shows its grey, miserable face. Between 0C and +8C, cloudy, rain showers.

November 2024 was normal. Average temperature in Warsaw was +3.9C (vs. long-term average of +3.8C). This was the coldest November in Warsaw since 2016. Stats:
- month-time high: +13.1C on 1 November 2024,
- month-time low: –4.4C on 6 November 2024,,
- the warmest day: 1 November 2024 (daily average of +11.5C):
- the coldest day: 22 November 2024 (daily average of –0.5C, the only day of thermal winter in that month)
- number of days with snow cover: 4,
- the highest snow depth: 4 centimetres on 22 November 2024 and 23 November 2024.

 

1 December 2024
The weather pattern from the last days of November continues.

2 December 2024
Skies clear up around 10:00 a.m. to give a few hours of sunshine. I strive to make the most of it, since it is predicted not to be in sight for several days.

3 December 2024 – 11 December 2024
Pre-winter shows its ugliest face. Nearly no sunshine. Rain, drizzle, sleet, damp air, gloom. Temperatures ranging from –1C to +6C. The only benefit is that winter weather does not disrupt the daily grind.

12 December 2024 – 13 December 2024
Finally sunshine and clear blue skies. Temperature typical for a Polish December – i.e. close to freezing.

14 December 2024
Was supposed to be the third sunny day in a row, but the weather packed up. Chilly.

15 December 2024
A thin blanket of snow is witnessed in the morning. It disappears by midday. Some bits of sunshine. Long-term forecasts indicate this might have been the only snow this December.

16 December 2024 – 17 December 2024
In a howling wind and downpours temperature reaches +10C, but it definitely does not feel warm.

18 December 2024 – 20 December 2024
A series of relatively warm, autumnal days.

21 December 2024 – 25 December 2024
A tad colder, generally between 0C and +5C, with some bits of sunshine.

26 December 2024
Sunshine from dawn to dusk. Frosty morning, reasonably warm afternoon.

27 December 2024 – 31 December 2024
As gloomy as it can be, with temperature gently above freezing, overwhelming darkness and greyness. Fogs and drizzle in abundance.

December 2024 was very warm. Average temperature in Warsaw was +2.9C (vs. long-term average of –0.1C). Stats:
- month-time high: +10.5C on 19 December 2024 (and it got colder for Christmas, not customarily),
- month-time low: –5.5C on 14 December 2024,
- the warmest day 19 December 2024 (daily average of +9.9C),
- the coldest day: 14 December 2024 (daily average of – 1.8C, one of two days in the entire month with mean temperature below 0C),
- number of days with snow cover: 1,
- the highest snow depth: 1 centimetre on 15 December 2024.

 

1 January 2025 – 2 January 2025
A warm entry into the new year, with gusty winds heralding a shift towards mild winter.

3 January 2025
Snow falls on and off, but most of it melts, as the temperature stays just above 0C. A major blizzard in the evening.

4 January 2025 – 5 January 2025
Two bright, yet frosty days. Of note – these are the first two days with maximum temperature below 0C this winter.

6 January 2025
Overnight snow turns into freezing rain. Streets in Warsaw become ice rinks. By midday it begins to melt rapidly. Gone is the short winter episode.

7 January 2025
Late autumn in its ugliness returns.

8 January 2025
Sleet during the day freezes over on roads and pavements in the evening.

9 January 2025
From freezing rain in the morning, into sleet, rain and temperature topping at +7C. Weather in Warsaw this January is anything, but stable.

10 January 2025
The last day of windy, autumnal weather, before winter hits for a while. Forecasts say the snow cover might reach over 10 centimetres by Sunday evening, but I believe it will be no more than 4 centimetres.

11 January 2025 – 12 January 2025
Two days of rather intense snow showers. Temperature either very close to 0C or just below freezing. Most of the snow lingers.

13 January 2025 – 14 January 2025
Not much below 0C, but with no new supplies of white powder. This short-lasting winter incident ends with freezing rain.

15 January 2025 – 17 January 2025
A mild, dull thaw, with overcast skies, chilly wind and temperature not exceeding +3C.

18 January 2025 – 23 January 2025
Hell knows if we should call it very late autumn or very early spring. Some days are sunny, some cloudy. Reasonably warm – between –1C and +5C.

24 January 2025 – 26 January 2025
Spring is in the air for the first time in 2025. Most of the time sunny. Temperature positive in single digits. Windy.

27 January 2025 – 30 January 2025
Four days with day-time highs above +10C, spells of sunshine and scent of spring felt in the air.

31 January 2025
Temperature lower than in previous days, yet +7C is still a lot given we are in the middle of winter. First proper rainfall since 16 days.

January 2025 was very warm. Average temperature in Warsaw was +2.5C (vs. long-term average of –1.5C). Stats:
- month-time high: +11.7C on 30 January 2025,
- month-time low: –7.2C on 5 January 2025,
- the warmest day: 29 January 2025 (daily average of whopping +9.5C),
- the coldest day: 5 January 2025 (daily average of – 3.8C),
- number of days with snow cover: 10,
- the highest snow depth: 6 centimetres on 13 January 2025.

 

1 February 2025 – 4 February 2025
The weather swings somewhere between late autumn and early spring. Cloudy, damp, but with short spells of sunshine. Above freezing most of the time.

5 February 2025
A short episode of clear skies from dawn to dusk and positive temperature.

6 February 2025 – 8 February 2025
The weather gets changeable and on the last day of the period shifts from gloom into brightness. Chilly

9 February 2025 – 10 February 2025
A high pressure system takes over, bringing cloudless skies, sunny days, surprisingly windy air and temperatures ranging from –8C at dawn to +2C in the afternoon. The deficiency of precipitation is disturbing.

11 February 2025
An absolutely ghastly day. The coldest morning of the winter so far, day-time high below –5C, wind chill below –10C.

12 February 2025 – 13 February 2025
Sunshine and afternoons with positive temperature return for a while. Note February has been snow-free so far, despite markedly negative temperatures.

14 February 2025
At last, a belated snow cover has appeared overnight and has not disappeared during the day.

15 February 2025 – 16 February 2025
Mild frost, wind chill close to –10C, some snow showers, sparse sunshine.

17 February 2025
For the first and probably for the last time this winter temperature plunges below –14C. Then ensues an entirely sunny, yet still frosty day.

18 February 2025 – 20 February 2025
Winter carries on, getting milder day by day, with snow falling on and off and some spells of sunshine.

21 February 2025 – 23 February 2025
Winter gradually retreats, with full sunshine in place, still frosty mornings, but balmy afternoons.

24 February 2025 – 27 February 2025
Warmer, with little sunshine. Gloomy pre-spring (or maybe early spring).

28 February 2025
The last day of the month is rainy, but four millimetres of precipitation will not make up for a long deficiency of rainfall.

February 2025 was normal. Average temperature in Warsaw was –0.5C (vs. long-term average of –0.4C. It was the first colder than average month since May 2023. Besides, it was the driest February since records began, with total precipitation of merely 7 millimetres. Stats:
- month-time high: +10.1C on 26 February 2025,
- month-time low: –14.3C on 17 February 2025 (being the lowest temperature of the entire winter and one of two incidences of double-digit frost this winter),
- the warmest day: 27 February 2025 (daily average of +6.7C),
- the coldest day: 17 February 2025 (daily average of –7.2C),
- number of days with snow cover: 7,
- the highest snow depth: 2 centimetres, between 16 February 2025 and 20 February 2025.

 

1 March 2025 – 2 March 2025
March gives a cold welcome, with rain and sleet. Gently above 0C.

3 March 2025 – 4 March 2025
A tad warmer day by day, waiting for the first spring episode.

5 March 2025 – 12 March 2025
Spring hits at full blast, with afternoon highs above +15C, but cold, even frosty mornings (daily temperature fluctuations reaching up to 20 Celsius degrees) and clear blue skies.

13 March 2025 – 14 March 2025
A pre-mature spring episode comes to an end. Cooler weather is accompanied by much desired rainfall, at times heavy.

15 March 2025 – 19 March 2025
Arctic air comes over, with frosty mornings, single-digit day-time highs and plenty of sunshine.

20 March 2025 – 31 March 2025
Basically not a trace of winter (except for one frosty morning). Had the tyres changed for summer ones in Octavia on 27 March.

March 2025 was extremely warm. Average temperature in Warsaw was +7.0C (vs. long-term average of +3.2C, at the par with March 2014 and March 2024, but colder than in March 2007, when temperature averaged out +7.2C). Stats:
- month-time high: +21.1C on 10 March 2025 (the earliest incidence of temperature above +20C in Warsaw ever, beating the previous record set on 17 March 2012),
- month-time low: –5.0C on 16 March 2025 (soon was the warmth missed),
- the warmest day: 10 March 2024 (daily average of +12.5C, a May-like weather),
- the coldest day: 17 March 2025 (daily average of +0.7C),
- number of days with snow cover: 0.

 

First days of April brought spring-like warmth, the afternoons bringing temperatures jus below +20C. The weather broke yesterday, with an inflow of an arctic mass of air. Temperature plunged, intense snow showers came on and off and continued overnight, but the snow did not linger. Average temperatures by the end of first decade of April are unlikely to be markedly above 0C, next snow showers are not unlikely, however even if the winter is not over now, its last gasp is near.

Recovery enters the second phase

As my health has been getting better, I switched from self-focus to more universal topics, yet if I want to keep records of those nasty days for posterity, a periodic follow-up is a must.

Just after the recent health-related post I went for a two-day corporate off-site some one and a half hour away from home. I endured the journeys (behind the wheel) there and back relatively well, yet agenda of the event necessitated too much sitting and gave too little time for lying-down breaks, hence it somewhat slowed down the progress of my recovery. If such delay was the price to pay for spirit-lifting socialising, for my body it was affordable.

The series of five collagen injections into tissues surrounding my lumbar spine is completed. I feel markedly better, but still I am way off normalcy. My doctor has set a checkpoint in mid-November and then he will recommend, whether to take me on for a hospital treatment. It would be a one-day stay, not a regular surgery and after spending a sizeable sum of money at his practice, he would fix it up for me under the public health insurance (such is the path to being admitted to a public hospital in Poland quickly).

This week my rehabilitation has commenced. I few years ago I would not use the word "rehabilitation" in such context, as I deemed it to be a false friend. After consulting some reputable monolingual online dictionaries I have changed my mind, although in does not sound naturally to me.

The memory of my disability is fresh and gruelling and I am determined not to let it repeat. Discipline in exercising is hence a must.

The physiotherapist who takes care of me has ordered me to return to normal activities, including sitting when working, bowing down, carrying moderately heavy weights and short-distance cycling. Following her advice means having to cope with already bearable pain; confronting it is essential if I am to get rid of it.

She also claims a full recovery with a relatively short list of forbidden activities is utterly conceivable. It will just take patience, discipline and require building muscles and stretching all parts of body which are not damaged, as my lumbar spine is.

Malady as an experience

As I continue to slowly recover, the time is now to dissect what I have been going through as an experience. Although I had to deal with health problems of my parents and grandparents closely, an onlooker's perspective is not comparable to becoming "temporarily disabled", as there was a short moment (only a few hours) when my mobility was more reduced than of a person on a wheelchair.

I strive not to take things for granted. Whenever I (used to) sit behind the wheel I realise I run a risk of being a victim of a traffic accident. I could imagine being immobilised as a result of an accident or a sudden event, but being bed-ridden by a slowly progressing illness was well-beyond my imagination. Lesson learnt - do not take anything for granted.

A malady shrinks your universe. Cycling around Czech Republic in August, canoeing in July, foray to the seaside in June, hiking in May, weekend in Kraków in April. All out of reach even today. At the worst moment a walk to the toilet was a journey of my life. On Thursday I endured relatively well a trip to Wola to a doctor which was quite something.

Being partly immobilised also means reliance on other people even in the basic activities such as dressing up. With hindsight I was lucky to be able to use a toilet or to take a shower on my own, however managing that myself was tiresome as hell.

Switching from the state of being fit and healthy towards an ailment which at its nadir involved intensity of pain which did not allow me to move without screaming out loud was an experience on the verge of being beyond my comprehension.

Coping with pain was another tough lesson. Lying and not straining the spine is indispensable in process of alleviating the inflammation. But for various reasons you cannot lie down 100% of the time, as it would do more harm than good. But if you move, you need to do it carefully, as one reckless move can leave you still in an awkward position, while your neighbours would be wondering why the damn you are screaming a blue murder.

Being sick teaches also patience. In the past, as an adult, I had never been sick for more than a few days. This time, after being a week spent mostly in bed, I realised getting back to normalcy would be a matter of weeks and an upside scenario is that this lousy episode ends by late October. Trying to accelerate the recovery could mean taking several steps back on that path so slowly does it.

Suffering reminds how little sometimes it takes to bring out happiness. I cherished the moment I could walk around the house on my own, the first night when pain's waning intensity let me sleep full seven hours, the first half-a-mile walk. I still somewhat envy people who can ride a bike, run or just sit for more than half an hour, but I believe in a few weeks I will rejoin them.

When confronted with the malady, worries of a healthy man's ordinary life recede into the background. What still mattered was money, as in my situation I could not count on a national health service, while high-class services do cost a lot of money. Money does not bring happiness, but certainly helps.

The last observation is that karma returns. In the last years I did my best to help people in need. I have done it disinterestedly, yet frankly speaking it has paid back.

Once you have reached the end of this post, I call you on feeling gratitude for what you have. The formative experience I have been going through is what I would not wish on anybody.

Winter Timeline 2023/24

Predictions for the passing winter varied greatly since late summer of 2023, due to unknown impact of El Nino, bringing both negative and positive anomalies in Europe. The consensus above forecasters was probably that Poland would experience both spells of warmth and cold snaps, but all in all the winter will be normal both in terms of temperature and snowfall.

The winter was preceded by a record-warm autumn, actually the warmest since records began.

First ground frosts were observed in Warsaw on 9 October 2023 and 10 October 2023 (temperature 2 metres above ground declined only to +0.5C). In most places in Poland first frosts were reported, while hilly southern regions were covered by a thin and quickly-melting blanket of snow. The first frost was measured on 18 October 2023, exactly in line with 1991-2020 average and its incidence was the earliest since 2016.

17 November 2023
The winter timeline is initiated exactly on the same day as in 2018 and 2022.
Flurry begins in the afternoon, by late evening some of the snow lingers, despite temperature just above 0C.

18 November 2023 – 19 November 2023
Intense snow showers on and off. The white powder is heavy and melts slower than it falls. Temperature gently above freezing most of the time.

20 November 2023
It thaws out; snows melt. Drizzle and fog make the day abhorrently dark.

21 November 2023
The day starts with a freezing drizzle, which later turns into snow. No warmer than –1C. Slippery as hell.

22 November 2023

The morning is the coldest since many months, with a low of –6C at dawn. Clear, blue skies, chilly wind and day-time high of 0C.

23 November 2023
From –3C and freezing rain in the morning, to +8C, gusty wind and rain pouring sideways in the evening. Autumn is back, but not for long.

24 November 2023
From +3C in the morning to light frost in the evening. Gusty wind does not ease off.

25 November 2023 – 26 November 2023
Light winter with temperature between –2C and +1C, intermittent snow showers and some spells of sunshine.

27 November 2023 – 29 November 2023
Below freezing all the time, with very little supplies of fresh snow. Horribly chilly, but with some sunny moments.

30 November 2023
Out of the blue comes the morning snow and a short thaw in the afternoon. The air is wet. Wind chill close to –10C.

November 2023 was normal. Average temperature in Warsaw was +3.9C (vs. long-term average of +3.8C). Stats:
- month-time high: +14.3C on 2 November 2023,
- month-time low: –6.8C on 30 November 2023,
- the warmest day: 3 November 2023 (daily average of +12.0C):
- the coldest day: 29 November 2023 (daily average of –3.8C)
- number of days with snow cover: 11 (the highest since 1998),
- the highest snow depth: 3 centimetres on 18 November 2023.

 

1 December 2023 – 2 December 2023
Gloomy, freezing fog, chilly. Looks like autumn, feels like winter.

3 December 2023 – 4 December 2023
A little bit brighter and some snow has fallen, the cover is too thin to cause any disruptions, but thick enough to change the landscapes in the capital to white.

5 December 2023
One sunny, bright day, but still below freezing.

6 December 2023 – 10 December 2023
Below zero, not much, but all the time, cloudy, with occasional, yet at times intense flurry.

11 December 2023
The rain washes away three inches of snow within less than 24 hours. Gone is the winter scenery.

12 December 2023 – 14 December 2023
The ugliest type of Polish late autumn / pre-winter returns – barely above 0C, damp air, occasional drizzle or rain, fogs and not a spell of sunshine.

15 December 2023
A tiny spell of winter – just barely above freezing, snow showers, with white powder melting nearly instantly. I appreciate a few moments of sunshine.

16 December 2023 – 21 December 2023
All in all, late autumn continues, with no incidence of frost (temperatures ranging from +2C to +8C), overcast skies, frequent drizzle and intensifying wind.

22 December 2023
Zoltan winter storm brings howling chilly winds, some sunshine and a blizzard which hits Warsaw shortly before noon, brings a sudden temperature drop below freezing and some 3 centimetres of fresh, wet snow, which begins to melt soon. Temperature mostly barely above zero, but feels like –10C.

23 December 2023 – 24 December 2023
Chilly, windy, close to zero, some sunshine, some snow showers, but with a white layer not lingering for long.

25 December 2023 – 26 December 2023
Much warmer – day-time highs above +10C, windy, with frequent intense (rain) showers.

27 December 2023 – 31 December 2023
Late autumn continues. Days are brighter, precipitation rare, temperature, with exception of one night-time incidence of frost, remains single-digit positive.

December 2023 was very warm. Average temperature in Warsaw was +2.1C (vs. long-term average of –0.1C). Stats:.
- month-time high: +10.4C on 25 December 2023 (just like nearly every second year, on Christmas rather than at the beginning of the month),
- month-time low: –8.7C on 5 December 2023,
- the warmest day 25 December 2023 (daily average of +8.3C),
- the coldest day: 5 December 2023 (daily average of – 5.6C),
- number of days with snow cover: 11,
- the highest snow depth: 8 centimetres on 10 December 2023.

 

1 January 2024 – 4 January 2024
The last days of late autumn. Temperature between +2C and +8C, lots of rain showers or drizzle, not a spell of sunshine.

5 January 2024
Still dark and ugly, but the temperature turns negative.

6 January 2024
Some snow fell overnight, then some snow showers topped up the layer of white duvet during the day. At least the ground gets some cover before hard frosts.

7 January 2024
Getting lousily colder, temperature close to double-digit frost.

8 January 2024 – 10 January 2024
Bitterly cold, the coldest since January 2021 actually. Well below –10C most of the time, wind chill approaching –20C, but skies are clear blue. Long longed-for sunshine in abundance.

11 January 2024 – 13 January 2024
Mild winter, with some snow showers, grey skies most of the time and temperature fluctuating between –8C and +1C.

14 January 2024
Now a mild thaw with some snow showers.

15 January 2024
Close to the point of freezing. In the evening Warsaw is it by a snow storm. Roads and pavements are icy afterwards.

16 January 2024 – 17 January 2024
Glorious sunshine is back, with double-digit frost at night in between the two days being the price to pay. A major thaw is on the horizon.

18 January 2024 – 21 January 2024
The last (for a while) gasps of mild winter. Frosty most of the time, but with day-time highs barely above 0C, with intermittent intense deliveries of fresh snow.

22 January 2024 – 25 January 2024
The thaw is on, right away in overdrive, with sunshine and then abundant rainfall accelerating the pace at which snow disappears.

26 January 2024 – 28 January 2024
Cooler (closer to 0C), with no sunshine, but intermittent sleet or snow.

29 January 2024 – 31 January 2024
The first intimation of pre-spring, with lots of sunshine, day-time highs in excess of +7C, but also morning frosts.

January 2024 was warm. Average temperature in Warsaw was –0.2C (vs. long-term average of –1.5C). Stats:
- month-time high: +8.9C on 3 January 2024,
- month-time low: –15.1C on 9 January 2024,
- the warmest day: 4 January 2024 (daily average of +6.0C),
- the coldest day: 8 January 2024 (daily average of – 11.4C),
- number of days with snow cover: 19,
- the highest snow depth: 12 centimetres on 21 January 2024.

 

1 February 2024 – 6 February 2024
The weather resembles late March and is anything, but winter-like. Temperature between +3C and +10C, windy as hell and more rainy than sunny.

7 February 2024 – 9 February 2024
A short near-winter episode, with temperatures barely above zero and light snow (which disappears quickly).

10 February 2024 – 15 February 2024
Spring is in the air. Again, much warmer, up to low double digits, much less rain, the wind eases off.

16 February 2024 – 17 February 2024
The first proper assault of spring weather, with full sunshine on the former day and some bits of rain on the latter. Day-time highs well above +10C.

18 February 2024 – 21 February 2024
Somewhat colder, with single-digit temperature. Only the first day of the period brings clement weather, then rain prevails.

22 February 2024 – 24 February 2024
A veritable spring nears. Currently temperatures top gently above +10C, skies are overcast, rain showers come and go.

25 February 2024 – 27 February 2024
Spring explodes in full sunshine, with early afternoons bringing temperatures close to +15C (yet not record-setting).

28 February 2024 – 29 February 2024
Spring retracts a little, not as warm as in recent days, yet a whole lot warmer than it should be at this time of year, rainy.

February 2024 was the warmest since records began. Average temperature in Warsaw was +6.2C (vs. long-term average of –0.4C and the warmest until now February 1990 when temperature averaged out +4.7C). Stats:
- month-time high: +16.5C on 27 February 2024 (1.8 Celsius degrees cooler than on 25 February 2021),
- month-time low: –1.4C on 14 February 2024 (beating the previous record of the highest minimum temperature of –3.9C in February set in February 2020),
- the warmest day: 27 February 2024 (daily average of +11.1C, typical for last decade of April),
- the coldest day: 8 February 2024 (daily average of +0.4C, beating the previous record of the highest minimum average of –0.4C set on 7 February 2020, in other words this was the first February in Warsaw with no day with negative average temperature),
- number of days with snow cover: 0,
- the highest snow depth: not applicable, although we had a few snowflakes on the ground for an hour or two on 9 February 2024.

 

1 March 2024 – 3 March 2024
Was supposed to be sunny and warm, but clouds refused to roll away and temperature has barely exceeded +10C (vs. forecasts of +15C or more).

4 March 2024 – 6 March 2024
No longer with double digits, with inadequate supply of sunshine and spells of rain. The weather slowly drifts to how it should be at this time of year.

7 March 2024 – 10 March 2024
Sunshine is back. High daily temperature fluctuations, from the coldest mornings since the third decade of January to upper single digits or low double-digits in the afternoons.

11 March 2024 – 13 March 2024
Somewhat colder, yet above zero all the time, with abundant rainfall.

14 March 2024 – 16 March 2024
More sunshine, day-time highs above +10C, but the short spell of spring weather is chased away by a cold front, preceded by first spring thunderstorm.

17 March 2024
Colder, cloudier, feels like autumn for a while.

18 March 2024
Wake up to behold a light dusting of snow on cars and lawns. In snows on and off until evening, at times intensely. In the morning the snow cover lingers for two of three hours, then it melts.

19 March 2024 – 20 March 2024
The weather returns to pre-spring mode, with single-digit temperatures, ground frosts in the morning and overcast skies most of the time.

21 March 2024 – 26 March 2024
Very changeable weather, with temperature swings from –1C to +17C, frequent rain showers, one thunderstorm, bits of sunshine and some light morning frost. Conceivably, the record-early last frost could have been reported in Warsaw on 26 March (beating the previous record set on 2 April 2016).

27 March 2024 – 29 March 2024
Warmer, day-time highs of more than +15C. Had my tyres (in the old Megane) changed on 28 March 2024, which was the earliest tyre change I ever had, after 3 years of getting this done in the second decade of April.

30 March 2024
Early summer rather than early spring. Heat record for March is broken, namely +22.9C measured on 21 March 1974 is beaten with +24.4C.

31 March 2024
The record set yesterday does not last long, for the first time in history temperature in March in Warsaw exceeded +25C.

March 2024 was extremely warm. Average temperature in Warsaw was +7.0C (vs. long-term average of +3.2C, at the par with March 2014, but colder than in March 2007, when temperature averaged out +7.2C). Stats:
- month-time high: +25.3C on 31 March 2024,
- month-time low: –4.1C on 8 March 2024,
- the warmest day: 31 March 2024 (daily average of +18.6C, the warmest March day ever),
- the coldest day: 18 March 2024 (daily average of +1.0C),
- number of days with snow cover: 1,
- the highest snow depth: less than 1 centimetre on 18 March 2024.

Off to Kraków next weekend, so the next post in two weeks.

COVID-19 timeline - 1Q2023

Friday, 13 January 2023
Despite middle of the winter, infections in Poland reach their low, with 7-day average number of infections down at 278.

Saturday, 4 February 2023
Two years and eleven months after the first registered COVID-19 case in Poland, I get a positive test result. My infection escapes the official statistics despite an attempt to get tested at GPs.

Tuesday, 14 February 2023
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland rises above 1,000, for the first time since 25 October 2022. R(t) is around 1.40 and positivity rate close to 30%.

Friday, 24 February 2023
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland rises above 2,000, for the first time since 13 October 2022. The positivity rate close to 35%.

Monday, 13 March 2023
There have been several infection clusters in my office. Luckily, my hybrid immunity kept my health at bay.

Wednesday, 15 March 2023
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Poland reaches 3,235 – it has not been so bad since many months, which shows the scale of infections not reported officially.

Thursday, 16 March 2023
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland rises above 3,000, for the first time since 4 October 2022. On this day the peak of the current wave is hit, with 3,012 cases reported on average daily during the recent 7 days.

Thursday, 23 March 2023
The hot topic is the availability of Paxlovid, the medicine effective at treatment serious COVID-19 cases. In Poland, it is not reimbursed and widely available, unlike in civilised western countries.

Tuesday, 28 March 2023
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland declines below 2,000, for the first time since 23 February 2023. Going uphill took 20 days, going downhill – only 12 days.

Tuesday, 31 March 2023
I still observe many people sick around, yet fewer with C19, more with flu type B, whose course of infections are more serious (several days in bed with high fever).

In which I catch COVID-19

Nearly three years into the pandemic and having taken four doses of vaccine against COVID-19 (second booster on 24 October 2022) for a long time I kept escaping an infection. But if you live normally and take no other precautions that getting a jab, catching the virus is just a matter of time.

Saturday, 28 January 2023
I attend a housewarming party – over 30 people on mere 30 square metres. Mostly likely I got infected there. I am not sure, since the host claims no one reported being ill afterwards.

Thursday, 2 February 2023
I feel a bit off-colour. While attending my fitness / workout classes I get tired quite quickly, but I don’t find it disturbing.

Friday, 3 February 2023
I wake up with a fever (body temperature of +38C) which I bring down with a painkiller, then feel strangely – I have a weird headache, my stomach turns upside down, I feel dizzy. On that day a penny drops. On that day the number of confirmed infections in Poland is above 1,000 for the first time since October 2022.

Saturday, 4 February 2023
I feel quite weak, worn-down. Before leaving to my parents just in case I take a test. The outcome is positive. I repeat the test after 2 hours of not eating nor drinking and again it is positive.

Sunday, 5 February 2023
I visit a doctor, to find out my lungs are clear and my employer-paid healthcare plan does not cover testing. The doctor does not even ask if I need a sickie.

Monday, 6 February 2023
My weakness continues, I feel dizzy, but have no other symptoms. Needless to say my infection escapes official statistics.

Tuesday, 7 February 2023
I grow even weaker and work from bed most of the day. Those days I sleep 9 – 10 hours each night.

Wednesday, 8 February 2023
I think I am finally on the mend, despite testing positive in the morning. In the evening I go for a walk. I don’t get particularly tired, but feel dizzy again.

Thursday, 9 February 2023
I cannot judge whether I would have felt better, had I not worked for 11 hours. Apart from the “dizziness” which does not ease off, I recover.

Friday, 10 February 2023
Again I get tested positive. This gets slowly boring…

Saturday, 11 February 2023
Despite the ongoing infection I wear a mask, go to the shops, go the a museum for an exhibition. Nobody around cares if the virus is around, so why should I excessively care about other people. I hope to turn negative soon and to have no long-term complications after the infection.

Pandemic diary – December 2022

Tuesday, 13 December 2022
The number of new infections is four-digit, for the first time since 26 October 2022. During the commencing winter a seasonal flu is probably going to be more dangerous than COVID-19.

Thursday, 15 December 2022
The 7-day average of new infections exceeds 500 for the first time since 5 November 2022. Forecasters claim the current wave, barely noticed by anybody, will peak in January, with on average 5,000 new infections per day.

Tuesday, 20 December 2022
China, upon lifting the zero-covid policy, is witnessing soaring numbers of infections, hospitalizations and infections which are not officially registered. The nation which used to keep the virus at bay for nearly 3 years and whose vaccines cannot boast of great efficacy, lacks proper immunity, which is the case for western societies these days.

Friday, 23 December 2022
It seems COVID-19 is now not the biggest peril to the health care system. This winter, as envisaged, the seasonal flu is taking its toll on Poles, especially on children. Par for the course after 2 years of masking and staying at home. Some time ago I was either somewhat ill or too busy to get vaccinated against flu. Currently, there is a shortage of vaccines in Medicover…

Thursday, 29 December 2022
I get my flu jab, but not in Warsaw, but in Bielsko-Biała.

Pandemic diary – November 2022

Wednesday, 2 November 2022
Austria becomes the first country in the EU where 60.00% of population have been officially tested positive. Further rank: Slovenia (59.39% of population) and France (56.19% of population)

Saturday, 5 November 2022
Conspiracy theorist keep holding strong, though COVID-19 is nearly forgotten in the public discourse. The article about increased risk of myocarditis after vaccination against COVID-19 with patients aged below 40 is heavily cited by anti-vaxxers in Poland. They forgot to mention the risk is miniscule anyway and that risk of myocarditis as complication after the coronavirus disease is much higher

Sunday, 6 November 2022
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland declines below 500, for the first time since 4 July 2022. Positivity rate in turn has fallen below 10%.

Thursday, 10 November 2022
Oddly enough, the number of daily death worldwide has not fallen below 1,500 for a month. This implies infections do not decrease, but more and more countries give up on testing.

Friday, 18 November 2022
The 7-day average of new infections in Poland bottoms out at 318, with positivity rate somewhat below 10%.

Saturday, 19 November 2022
I go through the most severe cold since 2012. This is not COVID-19 (tested twice), but it turns out two years of masking up, isolation and averting germs have taken their toll on immunity.

Wednesday, 23 November 2022
The number of tests carried out per 1 million citizens in Poland reaches… 1,000,000. Poland remains at the bottom of the ranking of EU27 countries which best test their citizens, although truth be told testing has been abandoned in several civilised countries.

Wednesday, 30 November 2022
The next wave apparently has begun, with week-ok-week increases in new cases above 20%. The winter is coming.

Next week comes the final weekend of Szlachetna Paczka, so the next post will appear in two weeks.

Pandemic diary – October 2022

Tuesday, 4 October 2022
Recent days bring a decrease in the number of cases, accompanied by just a minor decline in testing – positivity rate drops well below 30%. I bet the relief will be short-lasting

Wednesday, 5 October 2022
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland falls below 3,000.

Friday, 14 October 2022
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland falls below 2,000, for the first time since 21 July 2022, against alleged seasonality. The downward trend is also observed in other European countries.

Monday, 17 October 2022
With nearly no media coverage, adjusted bivalent vaccines against BA.4 and BA.5 are delivered to vaccination centres in Poland. The scarcity is well-visible.

Monday, 24 October 2022
In which I get the second booster. Given the aforementioned scarcity, I had to sign up for a jab in Józefów (15 kilometres, or 21 minutes’ drive from home). With hindsight – no side effects the next day.

Wednesday, 26 October 2022
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland falls below 1,000, for the first time since 12 July 2022. New infections fall in all European countries, defying the seasonality hypothesis.

Pandemic diary – September 2022

Saturday, 3 September 2022
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland declines below 3,000. It has been above that level for 32 days. This year the pandemic retreats in September.

Monday, 5 September 2022
The decline in the number of cases in Poland has not lasted low. The 7-day average bottoms out at 2,881.

Wednesday, 7 September 2022
And soon the 7-day average inclines back above 3,000 cases. Is the autumn so much in the air?

Wednesday, 14 September 2022
A week later, the 7-day average hits more than 4,000 cases and is bound to climb even higher (I am still referring to my homeland).

Thursday, 15 September 2022
All of the sudden the ministry of health announces the second booster, adjusted to Omicron variants, will be available to all 12+ triple-vaccinated Poles.

Friday, 16 September 2022
Instead of signing up for the second booster, I test myself at home for the second time this week. The result is negative again, so either I have caught a cold for the first time since more than 4 years or again, or the symptoms are the severe manifestation of allergy to my girlfriend’s dog.

Monday, 19 September 2022
New infections top out in Poland quickly, at 4,590.

Tuesday, 27 September 2022
The 7-day average number of new infections in Poland declines below 4,000. Seems the number of registered infections has settled in a sideways trend.