Film Production Guide

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1 Film Production Guide Poland 2010

2 Puck L bork Słupsk Gdaƒsk Kartuzy Bytów Koszalin Gdynia Sopot Sławno Kołobrzeg ÂwinoujÊcie Wejherowo Białogard Szczecin Drawsko Pomorskie Kwidzyn Człuchów Chojnice Iława Nidzica Działdowo Bydgoszcz Chodzie Poznaƒ Mi dzyrzecz Słubice Białystok Mława Toruƒ Inowrocław Gorzów Wielkopolski Łom a Gołub-Dobrzyƒ Piła Augustów Szczytno Chełmno MyÊlibórz Ełk Olsztyn Grudziàdz Złotów Suwałki Gi ycko Mràgowo Tuchola Wałcz Stargard Szczeciƒski K trzyn Malbork Szczecinek Goleniów Elblàg Tczew Ciechanów Wis ła Hajnówka Ostrów Mazowiecki Płoƒsk Pułtusk Gorzów Wielkopolski Gniezno Wyszków Płock Bug Sokołów Podlaski Âwiebodzin Warta Warsaw Kutno Konin Koło Zielona Góra Skierniewice Kalisz Leszno a Radom ZamoÊç Sandomierz Tarnobrzeg Gliwice K dzierzyn-koêle Katowice Bielsko-Biała Cieszyn Le ajsk B dzin Krakow Łaƒcut Rzeszów Tarnów Wieliczka Jasło ywiec Nowy Targ Zakopane Nowy Sàcz Krosno Hrubieszów Tomaszów Lubelski n Sa Nysa Poland KraÊnik Kielce Cz stochowa Opole Wałbrzych Chełm Kluczbork Âwidnica Kłódzko Lublin Szydłowiec Wrocław Jelenia Góra Wis ła Bełchatów Legnica Zgorzelec Warka Biała Podlaska Łuków Włodawa Piotrków Trybunalski Ostrzeszów Grójec Łódê Sieradz Głogów Odr Siedlce Łowicz Sanok PrzemyÊl

3 Film Production Guide Poland 2010

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5 table of Contents FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2010 Introduction 5 Poland General Information 9 Location and Area / Topography and Landscape / Government and Administration / Population and Cities Transportation 10 By Road / By Rail / By Air Crossing the Border 14 Address and Telephone Directory 14 Currency and Prices 16 Climate 16 Temperatures / Cloud Cover and Precipitation / Winds Polish law Business Law 21 Obligations of Entrepreneurs 22 Film Production 22 Autonomous Production / Cooperation with a Polish Partner / Additional Financing for Film Production / Who Can Apply? / Funding Limits Fees and Taxes 26 Work Permits / Filming Permits / Health Insurance / Film Production Insurance / State Aid Polish Cinema Today Funding 29 / Production 30 / Distribution 30 / Exhibition 30 / National Film Archive 30 / Film Schools 31 / Copyright Law 31 / Film Events 31 / Guilds and Unions 32 Film Production in Poland An Overview 32 Cinema Attendance in Poland Film Funds Pomerania Film Pomeranian Film Fund 41 Gdańsk Film Fund 42 Gdynia Film Fund 43 Wielkopolska Film Fund 44 City of Łódź Budgetary Support for Film Production 45 Lower Silesian Film Competition 46 Silesian Film Fund 47 Regional Film Fund in Krakow 48 Świętokrzyski Regional Film Fund 49 Lublin Film Fund 50 Mazowsze Film Fund 51 Białystok Film Fund 52 institutions and ComPanies Institutions 55 State and Public Institutions / Offices of European Support Programmes / Related Institutions Organizations and Associations 56 Professional Organizations / Collective Rights Management Organizations / Selected Organizations and Other Institutions Promoting Film Culture Television Broadcasters 57 Film Producers 58 Film Studios / Independent Production Companies Film Services Film Stock 62 / Studios and Soundstages 62 / Equipment Rental 62 / Equipment Sales 65 / Lighting Equipment 66 / Set Design, Costumes, Props 67 / Stunts and Special Effects 68 / Picture and Sound Editing Services; Sound Libraries 69 / Animation and CGI 72 / Scanning, Telecine, Digital Intermediate 74 / Stock Processing 74 / Subtitling, Dubbing, Voice-Over Services 74 / Film Archives 75 / Casting 76 / Catering 77 / Transportation 77 / Animal Training 78 / Film Score 78 / On-Set Services 79 / Special and Underwater Photography 81 / Motion Control 81 / Motion Capture 81 / High-Speed Photography 82 / Aerial Photography 82 / Steadicam 82 / Stills 82 / Legal Assistance, Production Insurance, Completion Bonds 82 Film Distribution 83 Cinemas 84 Largest Cinema Chains in Poland / Members of Europa Cinemas Network Institutions of Higher Education for Professionals in Film, Television, Theatre and Related Areas 85 Film, Television and Theatre Schools / Drama Schools / Music Schools and Academies / Fine Arts Academies / Film and Cultural Studies / Other Educational Institutions Event Calendar 87 Festivals and Film Awards Film Media 88 Magazines / Film Websites / Other Film-Related Websites ComPany index 89 Polish Film institute New Film Law 97 Sources of Financing for the Polish Film Institute 97 Types of Activity Supported by the Polish Film Institute 97 Programmes of the Polish Film Institute 98 Film Production 98 / Film Education and Dissemination of Film Culture 100 / Development of Cinema Infrastructure 100 / Promotion of Polish Film Abroad 100 where to stay Hotel Base in Poland 101 Film terms English-Polish Glossary 107

6 FIORENzO MAFFI / REUTERS / FORUM andrzej wajda received the alfred Bauer award at the 59 th Berlin international Film Festival AKPA POLSKA PRESS

7 introduction everything you always wanted to know about the Polish film industry but were afraid to ask or simply could not find the right source of information. that s about to change. we are proud to present the latest updated edition of the Film Production Guide Poland This Guide is designed to help you find access and make good use of the opportunities Poland has to offer in every area of film production. It is a complete and comprehensive overview of the country and its audiovisual sector, enabling every film professional be it a producer, director, art director, or casting director quick and easy access to key practical information on co-production opportunities, the Polish film financing system, locations, the legal framework of film production, contact details for business entities in all areas of filmmaking, facilities in every part of Poland, and concise data on the market. For more detailed information, please consult the CD version of this Film Production Guide, or visit our website: discover Poland. the right place for your next film project. 5

8 Jakkolwiek dołożono wszelkiej staranności, by wszystkie informacje zawarte w tej publikacji były dokładne i aktualne, może się zdarzyć, iż w wyjątkowych przypadkach, w szczególności adresów, numerów telefonów itp. mogą wystąpić nieścisłości. W razie zauważenia takiego przypadku prosimy wszystkich użytkowników tej publikacji, jak również firmy w niej wymieniane, o poinformowanie wydawcy w celu wprowadzenia poprawek do następnych wydań Film Production Guide Poland. katalog@pisf.pl Altough utmost care has been applied to ensure that all information in this publication is correct at time of print, it is possible that in certain cases such as addresses or telephone numbers, a certain inaccuracy could arise. If such should occur, we kindly ask all readers of this publication to notify the publisher in order to introduce necessary corrections in later editions of the Film Production Guide Poland. katalog@pisf.pl

9 Poland

10 2010 Calendar january February march april may june m t w th F sa su july august september october november december m t w th F sa su

11 Poland General information location and area Poland lies in Central Europe, bordered to the north by the Baltic Sea. The total length of Poland s borders is 3,582 km, whereof (clockwise from north): 528 km is the coastline, 210 km borders on the Russian Federation, 103 km Lithuania, 416 km Belarus, 529 km Ukraine, 539 km Slovakia, 790 km the Czech Republic and 467 km Germany. The total land area of Poland is 312,685 km 2, with a territorial sea of 8,700 km 2 and another 1,200 km 2 of the inlets of the Oder (Szczecin) Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon. In terms of area, Poland is the 63 rd largest country in the world, and the 9 th largest in Europe. Poland is in the Central European Time Zone (GMT+1), along with a number of European countries, including Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. From March to October Poland observes Daylight Saving Time (GMT+2). topography and landscape Poland lies in the eastern part of the geomorphological region of the Northern European Lowlands and thus over 90% of Poland s area is of a lowland nature. The average altitude is 173 m, with the highest elevation being the Rysy peak (2,499 m) of the Tatra Mountains and the lowest depression lying in the northern region of Żuławy Wiślane (1.8 m below sea level). There are three key mountain chains in Poland the Carpathian, the Sudeten, and the Świętokrzyskie (sometimes referred to as the Holy Cross Mountains). At 1,037 km, Vistula is Poland s longest river. There are over 9,000 lakes exceeding 1 hectare in size, of which the deepest are Hańcza (108.5 m), Drawsko, Wielki Staw Polski, Czarny Staw and Wigry. The Polish landscape is rather diversified, with a layered structure of geographical regions. The coastline is fairly smooth, whereas the coast itself usually flat, with occasional sand reefs, water inlets, sand dunes, sandy beaches and also some precipitous cliffs. Northern Poland abounds in lakes, with the Vistula river separating them into two regions Pojezierze Mazurskie (the plentiful region often called The Land of the Great Mazurian Lakes ) in the east and Pojezierze Pomorskie in the west. The central part of Poland is dominated by the Central Lowlands, with three distinct regions Nizina Południowowielkopolska in the southwest, the Silesian Lowland (Nizina Śląska) in the south and the central Mazovia Lowlands (Nizina Mazowiecka). The southern part of Poland is highly diverse in terms of geology and landscape, consisting of highlands and mountainous areas. This southern band consists of the Sudeten mountains (Sudety) and the according highland (Pogórze Sudeckie), the Silesian highland (Wyżyna Śląska), the highlands surrounding Krakow (Wyżyna Krakowsko-Częstochowska), the wide hollow of the so-called Nida Trough (Niecka Nidziańska) and the Holy Cross (Świętokrzyskie) mountains. At the end of this highland belt are the Carpathian mountains, consisting of the following ranges (roughly west to east): Beskid Śląski, Beskid Mały, Beskid Makowski, Beskid Wyspowy, Beskid Żywiecki, Beskid Sądecki, Gorce, Pieniny, the Tatra mountains (Tatry), Beskid Niski, and Bieszczady. 9

12 Poland Government and administration Poland is a parliamentary representative democratic republic with a multi-party system and a bicameral parliament elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. Internal and foreign affairs are run by the government, known as the Council of Ministers and led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and his cabinet are appointed by the President. The president is elected for a five-year term by general election. As of 1999, Poland is subdivided into sixteen administrative regions called voivodships (Polish: województwo). The lower levels of administrative division are 379 counties (powiat) and 2,478 communes (gmina). The government administration on a regional level is represented by the voivode (wojewoda). Poland is an active member of a number of international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, UNESCO, the World Trade Organization, OECD, the Council of Baltic Sea States, the Council of Europe, the Central European Initiative (CEI) and NATO. Since 2007 Poland is also a member of the Schengen Agreement. The official language is Polish. Population and Cities Poland has a population of approximately 38.5 million. In terms of ethnicity, 95.6% of the population is Polish; ethnic minorities include Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovakian, Jewish, Karaite, Lemko, Roma and Tartar. 95% of Poland s inhabitants are Roman Catholic, 1.5% Orthodox, 1% Protestant (mostly Lutheran). 61% of the population lives in urban areas. There are 897 cities and towns in Poland, including 17 with a population of over 200,000. Poland s largest cities are Warsaw, Lodz, Krakow, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Lublin, and Katowice. The capital city and main political, cultural, educational, financial and industrial centre of Poland is Warsaw (population: over 1.7 million) a city with several centuries of history. The oldest cities in Poland are Kalisz (9 th century A.D.), Sandomierz and Poznań, but stunning historical sites are also to be found elsewhere. transportation ZACHODNIO- POMORSKIE LUBUSKIE DOLNOŚLĄSKIE POMORSKIE WIELKOPOLSKIE OPOLSKIE KUJAWSKO -POMORSKIE ŁÓDZKIE ŚLĄSKIE WARMIŃSKO -MAZURSKIE MAZOWIECKIE ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKIE MAŁOPOLSKIE PODLASKIE LUBELSKIE PODKARPACKIE By road Poland has over 381,000 km of public roads, including 5,512 km of international roads and over 4,880 km of Trans-European Networks. Highways are connected with Polish expressways and denoted with a white S followed by a number against a red background. Expressways are identified numerically and preceded by the letter A and set against a red background. Traveling on some expressways requires a toll to be paid. Fuel is priced at approx. 1 EUR per litre for petrol and diesel, and about 0.5 EUR per litre for liquified petroleum gas. Poland observes right-hand traffic. All EU Member States national driving licenses are recognized and valid until their stated expiry date. Anyone driving in Poland must carry the required vehicle registration and insurance documentation. The vehicle must be labeled with a graphic sign stating the country in which it is registered. Seatbelts are required at all times for all passengers. The use of dipped 10 voivodships of Poland

13 Białystok 39 Bydgoszcz 51 Cieszyn Gdańsk hel Katowice Krakow lublin Łódź olsztyn Płock Poznań radom rzeszów słubice szczecin terespol toruń ustrzyki dolne warsaw wrocław zakopane zielona Góra Poland distances Between major Cities in Poland headlights during daytime is compulsory all year round. The use of mobile electronic devices (except hands-free) while operating a motor vehicle is prohibited, as is the use of radar detectors. The blood alcohol content limit is 0.02 percent. sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs By rail Poland has one of the most extensive railway networks in the world, with a total of over 20,000 km. All major cities and most small towns are connected by rail. The leading operator of rail infrastructure in Poland is the state-run PKP Group; its services include passenger and cargo transportation. According to the 2010 timetable, PKP operates the following international routes: Warsaw to: Sestokai, Moscow, Minsk, Irkutsk, St. Petersburg, Saratov, Adler, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Krasnoyarsk, Kiev, Astana, Kharkov, Simfieropol, Odessa, Chisinau, Burgas, Varna, Keszthely, Vienna, Villach, Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Basel, Amsterdam, Munich. Katowice to: Moscow, Minsk, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa, Vienna, Villach, Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Hamburg, Lvov. Krakow to: Kiev, Odessa, Burgas, Varna, Keszthely, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Lvov, Hamburg. Wrocław to: Kiev, Lvov, Odessa, Berlin, Pardubice, Hamburg. Poznań to: Moscow, Minsk, St. Petersburg, Saratov, Adler, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Krasnoyarsk, Berlin, Basel, Amsterdam, Munich, Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa, Lvov. 11

14 Poland By air There are eleven civilian airports in Poland catering for domestic and international passenger flights. The largest and most important of these is the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (formerly known as Okęcie International Airport). The other airports are located in Krakow, Gdańsk, Katowice, Poznań, Wrocław, Szczecin, Łódź, Bydgoszcz, Zielona Góra and Rzeszów. The Warsaw airport has over 80 regular connections to major cities in Poland and abroad. In 2007 three national and 39 foreign air carriers had regular flights to and from Warsaw, including British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, and Air France. However, the largest air carrier in Poland is LOT Polish Airlines. Polish air transport is one of the fastest developing markets in the world. The growth rate was greatly increased after Poland s entry into the EU and the introduction of low-cost airline carriers, such as Wizz Air, Germanwings, Norwegian, easyjet and Ryanair. Poland s central location in Europe is also a key factor any major city in Europe is a maximum 2-3 hour flight from Warsaw, Krakow or Gdańsk. sources: Civil Aviation Office Szczecin (Goleniów) Poznań (Ławica) Zielona Góra (Babimost) Gdańsk (Rębiechowo) Bydgoszcz (Szwederowo) Wrocław (Strachowice) Łódź (Lublinek) Katowice (Pyrzowice) Krakow (Balice) Warsaw (Okęcie) Rzeszów (Jasionka) warsaw Frederic Chopin airport Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1 Information: Gdańsk-rębiechowo airport 0-29 Rębiechowo, ul. Słowackiego 200 tel , fax Information: Poznań-Ławica airport 0-19 Poznań, ul. Bukowska 25 tel , fax Information: wrocław airport Wrocław, ul. Skarżyńskiego 3 tel , fax Information: szczecin-goleniów airport Glewice, Goleniów tel , fax info@airport.com.pl international airport Katowice in Pyrzowice 1-90 Ożrowice, ul. Wolności 90 tel , fax Information: , international airport Bydgoszczszwederowo Bydgoszcz, ul. Jana Pawla II 15 tel./fax Łódź-lublinek airport 9-32 Łódz, ul. gen. S. Maczka 35 tel , international airport Kraków-Balice Balice, ul. kpt. M. Medweckiego 1 tel , Information: rzeszów-jasionka airport Jasionka 92 tel , fax rzeszowairport@rzeszowairport.pl zielona Góra-Babimost airport -110 Babimost tel fax lotnisko@airport.zgora.pl 12 major airports in Poland

15 Poland historic Port Crane in GdańsK JANUSz LEŚNIAK / POLSKA ORGANIzACJA TURySTyCzNA 13

16 Poland Crossing the Border Poland s accession to the European Union and, more recently, to the Schengen Agreement, resulted in new entry conditions for foreigners. When crossing the Polish border, citizens of the EU, EEA and Schengen Agreement member states should hold a valid ID stating their identity and citizenship. Citizens of the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine are required to hold ID documents as well as visas issued by Polish consular offices. The Category C uniform visa (Schengen visa) allows travel throughout all Schengen area countries. It is valid for 3 months within 6 months from the date of issue. Category D are national visas, which entitle the holder to enter only the Schengen state which issued the visa. All visas are subject to fees and charges. Only a few categories of persons are exempt from the visa requirement when crossing the border. Entry into the Schengen area also requires the final destination to be stated. At the request of immigration officers, a foreigner entering Poland should present means of covering the costs of entering and leaving the country, as well as the entire duration of one s stay at an approximate cost of 25 EUR (100 PLN) per day. This can be presented in the form of cash (Polish zloty or convertible currencies), valid credit cards or traveler s cheques. embassy of the republic of austria embassy of the republic of Bulgaria embassy of the Czech republic embassy of the republic of Finland 00- Warsaw, ul. Gagarina Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 33/ Warsaw, ul. Koszykowa Warsaw, ul. Chopina / tel , tel , tel , tel , fax fax fax fax office@bgemb.com.pl, warsaw@embassy.mzv.cz, sanomat.var@formin.fi, polityka@bgemb.com.pl embassy of the republic of Belarus embassy of Canada embassy of the Kingdom of denmark embassy of the republic of France Warsaw, ul. Wiertnicza Warsaw, ul. Matejki 1/ Warsaw, ul. Rakowiecka Warsaw, ul. Piękna 1 tel , tel , tel , tel , fax fax fax fax poland@belembassy.org, wsaw@international.gc.ca, wawamb@wawamb.um.dk, presse@ambafrance-pl, embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium embassy of the republic of Croatia embassy of the republic of estonia embassy of the Federal republic Warsaw, ul. Senatorska Warsaw, Warsaw, ul. Karwińska 1 of Germany tel , ul. Ignacego Krasickiego 25 tel , 00- Warsaw, ul. Jazdów 12 fax tel , fax tel , warsaw@diplobel.fed.be fax embassy@estemb.pl, fax croemb.warszawa@mvpei.hr warszawa@wars.diplo.de, 1

17 Poland embassy of the united Kingdom embassy of the republic of latvia embassy of the russian Federation embassy of the Kingdom of sweden of Great Britain and northern ireland Warsaw, ul. Królowej Aldony Warsaw, ul. Belwederska Warsaw, ul. Bagatela Warszawa, ul. Kawalerii 12, tel , tel , tel , tel , fax fax fax fax embassy.poland@mfa.gov.lv rusemb_poland@mail.ru, ambassaden.warszawa@foreign.ministry.se, info@britishembassy.pl embassy of the republic of Greece embassy of the republic of lithuania embassy of the repubic of slovakia embassy of the Confederation of switzerland Warsaw, ul. Górnośląska Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie Warsaw, ul. Litewska Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 2 tel , tel , tel , tel , fax fax fax fax vertretung@var.rep.adm.ch, gremb.war@mfa.gr, amb.pl@urm.lt, emb.warsaw@mzv.sk, embassy of the republic of hungary embassy of the Kingdom of norway embassy of the republic of slovenia embassy of ukraine Warsaw, ul. Chopina Warsaw, ul. Chopina 2a Warsaw, Warsaw, al. J.Ch. Szucha tel , tel , ul. Starościńska 1 lok.23-2 tel , fax fax tel , fax mission.vao@kum.hu emb.warsaw@mfa.no, fax emb_pl@mfa.gov.ua, vvr@gov.si embassy of ireland embassy of the People s republic embassy of the Kingdom of spain emabassy of the united states of america 00-9 Warsaw, ul. Mysia 5 of China Warsaw, ul. Myśliwiecka Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 29/31 tel , Warsaw, ul. Bonifraterska 1 tel , tel , fax tel , fax fax warsawembassy@dfa.ie, fax emb.esppl@mail.mae.es embassy of the repubic of italy embassy of romania Warsaw, pl. Dąbrowskiego Warsaw, ul. Chopina 10 tel , tel , ministry of Foreign affairs fax fax of the republic of Poland ambasciata.varsavia@esteri.it, embassy@roembassy.com.pl, Warsaw, al. J.Ch. Szucha tel source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 15

18 Poland Currency and Prices The official currency in Poland is the Polish zloty (PLN) divided into 100 groszy. The currency comes in banknotes of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 PLN and coins of 1, 2 and 5 PLN as well as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy. Since the times of political transition in Poland, the exchange rates have become stable. There are however some natural fluctuations in exchange rates. The values presented below should therefore be treated as approximates. The most secure way of exchanging currency are banks, although they offer slightly lower exchange rates and some charge a 2-3% commission. Banks in Poland are open Monday to Friday, usually from 9 am to 5 pm, some also on Saturdays until 1 pm. Every bank in Poland has a network of its own ATMs, although access to these may be limited in rural areas. All major debit and credit cards are accepted in Poland. Most banks in Poland allow cash withdrawals from credit cards. Poland is a relatively inexpensive country food, public transportation, admission tickets, even accommodation are considerably cheaper than in Western European countries. Naturally, prices in major cities are higher than in rural areas. It is safe to assume some average prices for Poland: a large pizza will cost about 6 euros; a three-course middle-class restaurant dinner will be about euros; a cross-country train ticket about 35 euros; a room in a 5-star hotel 250 euros. Climate Poland enjoys a temperate climate of transitional nature between the continental and maritime. Weather patterns are rather unstable, especially during seasonal changes and wintertime. Winters in Poland are usually Currency name Currency code average exchange rate US dollar 1 USD Canadian dollar 1 CAD 2.13 Euro 1 EUR.102 Hungarian forint 100 HUF 1.51 Swiss franc 1 CHF 2.1 Pound sterling 1 GBP.59 Ukrainian hryvnia 1 UAH Czech crown 1 CzK Danish crown 1 DKK Estonian crown 1 EEK Norwegian crown 1 NOK 0.9 Swedish crown 1 SEK Lithuanian lita 1 LTL 1.19 Latvian lat 1 LVL Russian ruble 1 RUB Chinese juan 1 HKD 0.19 SDR (IMF) 1 XDR.55 Exchange rates dated 31 December 2009, source: National Bank of Poland, of the oceanic type with high precipitation; less common are fair weather continental winters. Northern and western Poland has a mostly maritime temperate climate, with mild winters and cool summers and high precipitation. Severe winters and hot, dry summers are more common in eastern parts of the country. temperatures Spring in Poland usually lasts about 60 days and has an average daily temperature of 5 C to 15 C. With temperatures above 20 C, summer in Poland begins in May and lasts up to four months, followed by autumn, when the average temperature once again drops to between 15 C and 5 C. With the start of the early winter period, usually lasting about six weeks, temperatures drop below 5 C. Wintertime sees a relatively long period of cold weather and frost the early spring period does not begin until late February or early March, and even then only in the mild climate areas of northern and western Poland. Northeastern Poland is the last of the regions to see spring, usually at the end of March. 1

19 Poland skały PuChaCza in the KŁodzKo region TOMASz GMERKA / POLSKA ORGANIzACJA TURySTyCzNA Cloud Cover and Precipitation The number of cloudy days in Poland is between 60 and 70 percent. The cloudiest period is November, and the clearest months are August and September. The average annual number of cloudy days (i.e. when the sky is 80% overcast) is , and the number of sunny days (i.e. cloudiness below 20%) is With predominantly westerly winds in Poland, the highest precipitation occurs on western mountain slopes. In the Carpathian and Sudeten mountains the average annual precipitation is mm, while in the lowland and highland regions it ranges from 400 mm to 750 mm. The lowest precipitation levels are in eastern Wielkopolska and in the Kuyavia region. The summer months are characterized by the most rainfall in a year, usually 2-3 times higher than in wintertime. The average number of days with snowfall ranges from days in western and central Poland to over 50 days in the northeast. winds The winds in Poland are typically weak to moderate, with speed ranging from 2 to 10 metres per second. Strong and very strong winds usually occur at the seaside, causing sea storms, and also in the mountains, where their speed often exceeds 30 m/s. Hurricanes are uncommon in Poland, however the mountain halny wind is notorious for uprooting trees and blowing off roofs. Another local Polish wind is the refreshing Baltic sea breeze. source: 1

20 Poland month value jan Feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec average air temperature [ C] air temperature high [ C] air temperature low [ C] total precipitation [mm] number of days with precipitation number of days with snowcap number of hours of sunlight max min max min max min max min max min max min max min source: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, 01-3 Warsaw, ul. Podleśna 1, table: selected weather Conditions months/2010 sunrise time sunset time average daylight january 0:5-0:3 15:0-15:50 9h 01min February 0:35-05: 15:51-1:3 10h 23min march 05:-05:2 1:39-1:2 11h 50min april 05:0-0:0 1:29-19:1 13h 2min may 0:39-03:5 19:1-19:5 15h 19min june 03:5-03:53 19:5-20:13 1h 11min july 03:5-0:25 20:12-19: 1h 10min august 0:2-05:11 19:-1:9 1h 2min september 05:12-05:5 1:-1:3 12h 1min october 05:5-05:5 1:1-15:1 10h 50min november 05:-0:33 15:39-15:02 9h 31min december 0:3-0:5 15:01-15:0 h 1min 1 table: average daylight Per month