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Wind speed is an important variable in the assessment of thermal comfort. Different types of meteorological devices provide different accuracy of air velocity (va) measurements, which under limited air flow conditions, may result in a discrepancy in actual thermal stress level. Simultaneous measurements on warm summer days, performed with a cup anemometer and hot-wire probe, prove that too high starting threshold of the first of these sensors can lead to a discrepancy of actual wind speed, and as a consequence can distort MRT (estimated with globe thermometers) and PET values on average up to 10 °C and 1 °C, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rzeki przepływające przez miasta i ich doliny pełnią wiele funkcji przyrodniczych, w tym szczególną rolę w melioracji klimatu miasta. Dolina Wisły w Warszawie jest głównym i najbardziej efektywnym obszarem przewietrzania i regeneracji powietrza w mieście, pomimo tego niewiele wiadomo o warunkach termicznych w niej panujących. W celu ich poznania od 2016 r. rozpoczęto ich monitoring w 3 punktach: na południu i w części śródmiejskiej na lewym brzegu oraz na północy na prawym brzegu rzeki. W artykule przeanalizowano 10-minutowe dane z 6 lat (2017-2022) z punktów w dolinie, które porównano z warunkami na stacji w ścisłym centrum miasta i na jego obrzeżach. Przedstawiono wstępną charakterystykę termiczną doliny: wartości średnie, dni termicznie charakterystyczne, częstość różnic temperatury minimalnej oraz wartości 10-minutowych między centrum miasta (Hoża) a pozostałymi stacjami w przedziałach wartości, przykładowe przebiegi temperatury latem i zimą. Omówiono zjawisko „cold spotów", którego częstość w najbliższym sąsiedztwie Wisły miejscami przewyższała 88% analizowanych obrazów termalnych. Wykazano różnice reżimu termicznego w dolinie, zależne od lokalizacji i najbliższego sąsiedztwa punktu. Wraz z rosnącą gęstością zabudowy i spadkiem udziału terenów biologicznie czynnych maleje średnia amplituda dobowa temperatury powietrza. Północna i południowa część doliny na odcinku warszawskim cechują się podobnymi warunkami termicznymi, zaś część śródmiejska wyraźnie od nich odbiega. Jest znacznie cieplejsza, ale równocześnie notuje się tu znacznie częściej zjawisko „cold spotu". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant changes in climate variables in the last decades resulted in changes of perceived climate conditions. However, there are only few studies discussing long-lasting changes in bioclimatic conditions. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to present the temporal and spatial distribution of hazardous heat and cold stress conditions in different regions of Poland. Its focus is on long-lasting changes in such conditions in the period 1951–2018. To assess changes in hazardous thermal stress conditions, the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was used. UTCI values at 12 UTC hour (respectively 1 pm winter time, 2 pm summer time) were calculated daily based on air temperature, relative humidity, total cloud cover and wind speed at 24 stations representing the whole area of Poland. We found that the greatest changes were observed in minimum (1.33 °C/10 years) and average (0.52 °C/10 years) UTCI values as well as in cold stress frequency (− 4.00 days per 10 years). The changes vary seasonally and regionally. The greatest increase in UTCImin and decrease in cold stress days were noted from November to March and had the highest values in north-east and east Poland, and also in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The trends in maximum UTCI are much smaller and not always positive. The spatially averaged trend in UTCImax for Poland as a whole was 0.35 °C/10 years and the increase in heat stress days was 0.80 days/10 years. The highest increases in UTCImax and heat stress days were noted in eastern and south-eastern Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to establish to what extent extreme thermal conditions have changed and how they affected mortality, and what conditions favor lower mortality rates or conversely, higher mortality rates. Heat/cold exposure was measured with the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). Daily mortality and meteorological data for 8 large Polish cities (Białystok, Gdańsk, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Poznań, Warszawa, and Wrocław) in the period 1975–2014 were analyzed. Generalized additive models were used to investigate the relationship between UTCI and mortality, and TBATS models were used for the evaluation of time series UTCI data. Most of the cities experienced a clear and statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05 decrease in cold stress days of 0.8–3.3 days/year and an increase in the frequency of thermal heat stress days of 0.3–0.6 days/year until 1992–1994. There was a clear difference as regards the dependence of mortality on UTCI between cities located in the "cooler" eastern part of Poland and the "warmer" central and western parts. "Cool" cities were characterized by a clear thermal optimum, approx. in the range of 5–30 °C UTCI, changing slightly depending on cause of death, age, or sex. For UTCI over 32 °C, in most of the cities except Gdańsk and Lublin, the relative risk of death (RR) rose by 10 to 20%; for UTCI over 38 °C, RR rose to 25–30% in central Poland. An increase in mortality on cold stress days was noted mainly in the "cool" cities: RR of total mortality increased even by 9–19% under extreme cold stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health resorts should be in a position to provide, not only mineral waters and muds, but also air quality good enough for climatotherapy to be conducted in the open air. Thanks to a lack of industry in Poland's health resorts, gaseous air pollutants do not pose a problem. In contrast, the air at health resorts resembles that elsewhere in the country (Europe's most polluted overall) in being affected by particulate matter (PM10s, PM2.5s and benzo(a)pyrene). Breathing polluted air causes variety of problems, in particular for the elderly and children - i.e. people who most often constitute spa patients. Poland has 45 health resorts established statutorily, with one organised in a salt mine. 8 towns enjoy Spa Protection Area status. In 2018 almost 850,000 patients received spa treatment (though a slightly more contentious issue might be how many actually benefited from this, as about 40% of these people stay at spas during the heating season, and are therefore exposed to high levels of air pollution). In the years 2010-2018, permanent monitoring of PM10s was only engaged in at 14 of Poland's spas, with just 6 having full data from 2010 on. PM2.5 and B(a)P are monitored at even fewer stations. This paper analyses values and courses for mean annual, monthly and daily concentrations of these pollutants, noting numbers of days on which permissible levels were exceeded and seeking reasons for this state of affairs. Among the health resorts with air-pollution monitoring, the most polluted are Swoszowice, located in the suburbs of Cracow, followed by Cieplice located in a valley, next to Jelenia Góra, Szczawno-Zdrój and Busko-Zdrój. Average PM10 concentrations in most of the spas fell within the legal norm (failing to do so in only 2 cases), but numbers of days with PM10>50 μg·m-3 exceeded permissible levels in most of the spas. Long-term monitoring of PM2.5s was carried out only in 5 towns. On selected days concentrations of these reached 300 μg·m-3. Yearly averages were also beyond the norms, though the trend has fortunately been slightly downward. The worst situation applies to B(a)P, as the pollutant most toxic and dangerous to human health. Over the analysed period, its concentration at all the spas displayed 2- to 10-fold exceedances of permissible levels. The main reason for such severe air pollution is short-stack emission, i.e. the uncontrolled combustion of poor-quality coal, wood or even waste, in domestic stoves that only achieve low combustion temperatures. This is the reason for the marked seasonality of data for PM10s, PM2.5s and B(a)P, with highest concentrations noted from October to March, during the heating season, and least severe problems being present in summer. For a start, the extremely severe air pollution noted in the spas during the cold half of the year completely precludes their application o climatotherapy outside buildings. Indeed, as the pollutants also penetrate buildings themselves, patients breathe them in as they receive physical therapy and go through all the different treatments spa facilities have to offer. Air-pollution sources, topographical conditioning of such poor air quality and difficulties with achieving any improvement in the situation may be encapsulated effectively by reference to the three following mini case-studies. Szczawno-Zdrój is a foothills health resort in a valley location, with most facilities on the valley bottom, and with a national road running through the centre (past the main Spa, sanatoria and parks) that is highly congested as it acts as a beltway for the city of Wałbrzych. The town does have permanent air-pollution monitoring, and rightly so, given the problems. Szczawnica is a mountain health resort, and hence a popular tourist destination in a beautiful location in the Pieniny Mountains. While air pollution in the main valley is severe, the sanatoria are fortunately located on the slopes of the valley sides. Only periodically is air pollution measured here. Busko-Zdrój is a lowland health resort, featuring a provincial road with heavy traffic running close to the hospitals and sanatoria. The Buskowianka mineral-water factory is located in the centre of the town, which is the subject of permanent air-pollution monitoring. The main source of air pollution in these small, mostly non-gasified towns, is shortstack emission from stoves and fireplaces in individual houses. Road transport comes second. Often there is a downflow of polluted air towards the lower-lying parts (in Busko- Zdrój) and to the valley bottoms where spas are often located (Szczawno-Zdrój). Many programmes aimed at improving air quality have been adopted and pursued at these health resorts, but no more-spectacular success has been achieved. Only in the lowland spa at Busko-Zdrój has recent construction of a beltway offered a chance for lorry traffic to be reduced. The Buskowianka mineral-water plant is also set to move outside the town. There would seem to be no easy solutions in the case of the other health resorts in their more-elevated locations. The poor air conditions in large measure reflect state policy not doing enough to promote renewable energy sources and "clean" technologies, while maintaining and co-financing unprofitable coal mines. However, a further cause needs to be sought in basic poverty, the high price of gas, and widespread ignorance of the fatal consequences of the domestic combustion of items that should never be burned at low temperatures. While there are in fact many further problems, the main one still reflects a situation in which, if heating by coal is not abandoned, spa municipalities will inevitably fail to cope with air pollution on their own. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate and bioclimate of the city have been studied by the climatologists from IGSO PAS since the 1960s. Since the late 1990s, these studies have been based on the measurement network of thermal and humidity conditions in the Warsaw agglomeration. The number of measuring posts has been changed over the years, currently it consists of 27 posts. The main research issues are: temporal and spatial changes of urban heat island under the spatial development changes, methods of limiting the urban heat island and adaptation to it, the impact of biologically vital areas on local climate, forecasts for the urban heat island based on selected climate change models and scenarios of spatial development changes. A large number of studies by the IGSO PAS climatologists concern human bioclimatology, including the thermal sensation, the impact of heat waves and cold waves on morbidity and mortality, the role of greenery in the city (cooling, but also aggravating allergy). The main goal of this research is to determine the measures limiting the negative impact of the urban climate on people and to improve the quality of life in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of the urban heat island (UHI) in Warsaw over the years 2011-2012 has been conducted on the basis of the monitoring network of thermal conditions in the Warsaw metropolitan area operated by IGSO PAS. It comprises 28 stations complemented by 1 station of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. The main objective of the paper is to attempt to analyse the intensity of UHI in Warsaw with the use of the Local Climate Zones method. The yearly average UHI intensity in the city centre is 2.5°C (LCZ compact midrise), within the open high-rise it varies from 1.2°C to 1.7°C (LCZ 4), within the open midrise it deviates from 0.6°C to 1.7°C (LCZ 5). Sparsely built areas in the suburbs are usually cooler than the reference station. The intensity of UHI depends strongly on the distance from the city centre, which determines also the type and density of buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress is one of the environmental factors influencing the health of individuals and the wider population. There is a large body of research to document significant increases in mortality and morbidity during heat waves all over the world. This paper presents key results of research dealing with heat-related mortality (HRM) in various cities in Poland which cover about 25% of the country’s population. Daily mortality and weather data reports for the years 1991-2000 were used. The intensity of heat stress was assessed by the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). The research considers also the projections of future bioclimate to the end of twenty-first century. Brain storming discussions were applied to find necessary adaptation strategies of healthcare system (HCS) in Poland, to minimise negative effects of heat stress. In general, in days with strong and very strong heat stress, ones must expect increase in mortality (in relation to no thermal stress days) of 12 and 47%, respectively. Because of projected rise in global temperature and heat stress frequency, we must expect significant increase in HRM to the end of twenty-first century of even 165% in comparison to present days. The results of research show necessity of urgent implementation of adaptation strategies to heat in HCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]