The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) issued level-one (yellow) thunderstorm warnings for 13 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships from 14:00 on 11 May until the early hours of 12 May. Forecasts predict rainfall up to 20 mm, wind gusts reaching 80 km/h and localised hail, with the convective front sweeping in from the Czech–German border. Travelers needing to adjust itineraries or secure last-minute transit documents can streamline the process through VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/), which offers fast online applications for visas, e-visas and travel authorizations as well as real-time status tracking—particularly useful if weather disruptions force you to reroute via alternate airports or border crossings. The alerts cover the key metropolitan areas of Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk, as well as border provinces such as Lubelskie and Podkarpackie—home to the Medyka-Shehyni and Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska crossings into Ukraine. Airport operators at Chopin and Balice have warned of potential departure slots being held for lightning activity, while rail provider PKP Intercity has activated wet-weather timetables that lengthen journey times by up to 30 minutes. Road authorities are preparing to impose temporary speed limits on exposed stretches of the A1 and S3 motorways, and have advised high-profile vehicles—including coaches carrying Ukrainian evacuees—to avoid mountain passes during peak storm windows. Employers with field engineers or sales teams on the road are advised to issue SMS safety alerts and permit overnight stays if driving conditions deteriorate. The IMGW will update forecasts hourly; travellers should download the RSO (Regional Warning System) app or follow @IMGWmeteo for live updates, and allow extra transit time when connecting to international flights or cross-border buses.
