Zakopane long-term weather, temperatures, precipitation, on-line cameras. When to go?
The weather in Zakopane is not spoiling
There is a well-known joke about the weather in Zakopane, which highlanders eagerly tell tourists:
“In Zakopane, winter lasts only 10 months, and then it's just summer and summer…”.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of truth in this joke, and at the same time not truth. A glance at the weather statistics is enough. Summer is considered to be the season when the average daily temperature (day and night) exceeds 15 degrees Celsius. In Zakopane, such a situation does not occur at all or it occurs rarely, only in one month a year. Only in July, the average daily temperature in some years exceeds 15 degrees, but such a year happens every few years. Therefore, you can safely say that summer in Zakopane is practically non-existent (weather analyzes provide the official average daily temperature in July equal to 14,5 degrees Celsius).
What about other seasons? Looking at the matter a bit from the side and breaking away from the typical for us division into four seasons, which does not fit Zakopane at all, we can say that there are two seasons in Zakopane: winter and a transitional season.
Zakopane comes in winter weather already in November and lasts until April. So we can safely assume that winter lasts here for at least 5 months. The rest of the year (7 months) is a specific transition season which changes from spring to autumn, excluding the typical summer. While in Poland we enjoy the typical summer weather (June, July and August) in Zakopane, the time of the most intense rainfall is coming. On average, from 130 to 170 mm of water falls here. For comparison, I would like to add that the rainiest month in Poland is July with an average of 100 mm of water falling. As you can see, Zakopane is well above this average.
So the saying about 10 months of winter and two months of summer quoted at the beginning has a lot of truth in it, because it clearly suggests that the weather is not colorful here. On the other hand, there is a lot of untruth in it, because winter is not that long and summer is not at all 🙂
In short: in summer you have to be lucky to spend a holiday here in fine weather, but in winter, the conditions for skiing are often ideal.
After this short introduction, let's take a look at the weather in Zakopane in a little more detail. It should be remembered that the data presented by me are average values that were obtained from measurements collected over the last 30 years. The weather in a given year may differ from the average values and it may turn out that in July the sun will shine for four weeks and not even a drop of rain will fall (which I wish for everyone), but the chances for that are slim.
Zakopane air temperature
The warmest month in Zakopane is July . Daytime temperatures average 20-21 degrees Celsius. The average daily temperature is around 14,5 degrees Celsius, falling short of the typical summer average (summer temperatures are considered to be above 15 degrees Celsius). The next warmest months are August (average daily temperature 20 degrees Celsius) and June (average daily temperature 19 degrees Celsius). In the remaining months of the year, the average daily temperature is significantly lower than in these three months.
February is the coldest in Zakopane. The average temperature during the day is then -3 degrees Celsius. The next two coldest months are February and December with the same average day temperature: - 1 degree Celsius.
Freezing temperatures at night last continuously for five months: from November to March.
Zakopane rainfall
There are an average of 150 to 180 rainy days in Zakopane a year. I must add that the day when it rains is considered a rainy day. It doesn't matter if it rained five minutes or five hours, and whether it was day or night. If there is any rain, the day is counted as a rainy day in the statistics. Therefore, it is often the case that despite the fact that the day is classified as rainy, you can still use it without any problems (because it was raining, for example, at night and it did not bother us at all, or it rained briefly during the day and after several minutes was after the case).
Anyway, it is worth remembering and preparing for the fact that it rains almost every other day (or several times a day ... it is well known that "the weather in the mountains likes to change quickly and rapidly").
The rainiest month of the year in Zakopane is June . On average, June has 23 rainy days (!!!). June also sees the most rain: 164 mm. This is almost 70% more than the rainiest month of the year for Poland (in Poland, it is July, with an average of 100 mm). The next highest rainfall months in Zakopane are July with 21 rainy days (141 mm of water), May with 20 rainy days (115 mm of water), and August with 17 rainy days (132 mm of water).
The fewest rainy days occur in January (3 days), February (4 days), and December (5 days). This is obvious because, due to the temperature, it's more likely to snow than rain during these months.
Zakopane snowfall
Snowfall in Zakopane is most common in January . On average, we have 14 days of snowfall. December and February are only slightly worse in this regard (13 snowy days). This comparison shows that March in Zakopane is still a regular winter. On average, there are 12 snowy days in March.
The first snowfalls appear in Zakopane as early as October (3 days). Snow continues to fall until the end of April (5 days), and in May there is on average one snowy day.
Zakopane days without any rainfall
We already know that it often rains in Zakopane. In winter, every other day is snowy. So let's sum up all the days when something flies from the sky in Zakopane and see how many days we have at our disposal without any rainfall.
Number of rainy days: 150 to 180
Number of snow days: approximately 70
The list shows that for 220 to 250 days a year, we are dealing here with some sort of rainfall. Quite a lot. It is worth bearing this in mind when planning your trip. A rain jacket is an indispensable piece of equipment when going to the mountains.
The months with the most days without precipitation (neither rain nor snow) are… October (17 days), November (17 days), and September (15 days). Surprised? Every time I look at this statistic, I promise myself that next year I'll be watching the weather closely, especially during these months. And what? As a skeptic, I observed. Surprisingly, it's true, just like the statistics. Of course, these months have many gloomy and cloudy days. The days are short, dark, and there are 14-15 days of precipitation. The general impression is that it rains constantly during this time, but the facts are different. Surprising.
June has the fewest days without precipitation (7 days). July and May are next, with only 10 days without precipitation. August, the only summer month, fares quite well in this regard (14 days without precipitation). January has the same number of days without precipitation (14 days).
Zakopane - air temperature (annual chart)
Below is a neat graph that nicely illustrates the change in average day and night temperatures. On the temperature chart I also added information about the number of days with rain and snowfall. Such a set of information on one chart makes it easier to choose the date that seems the best from the point of view of the expected weather (depending on what you are going to do).
Below the graph you will find the same data but in the form of a table.
| Temperature | Amount | Number of days | Number of days | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| during the day [℃] | in the night [℃] | rainfall [Mm] | rain | snowfall | |
| January | -3 | -8 | 46 | 3 | 14 |
| February | -1 | -7 | 43 | 4 | 13 |
| March | 4 | -3 | 49 | 7 | 12 |
| April | 11 | 2 | 73 | 14 | 5 |
| May | 15 | 6 | 115 | 20 | 1 |
| June | 19 | 9 | 164 | 23 | 0 |
| July | 21 | 10 | 141 | 21 | 0 |
| August | 20 | 10 | 132 | 17 | 0 |
| September | 16 | 7 | 81 | 15 | 0 |
| October | 10 | 3 | 62 | 11 | 3 |
| November | 5 | -1 | 63 | 7 | 6 |
| December | -1 | -5 | 57 | 5 | 13 |
Zakopane - rainfall (annual chart)
On the chart, you will find information related to precipitation or its absence. I focused on the rainfall we usually consider to be undesirable (i.e. rain). I did not put snowfall on the chart so as not to overdo it with the amount of data. Besides, snowfall in winter is a desirable phenomenon, so in this graph it is no longer needed.
In addition to the number of rainy days, you will find information on the intensity of rainfall (in mm of the water column) and the number of days without any rainfall for each month.
Below the graph there are the same data but in the form of a readable table.
| Number of days no rainfall | Number of days rain | Total precipitation [Mm] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14 | 3 | 46 |
| February | 11 | 4 | 43 |
| March | 12 | 7 | 49 |
| April | 11 | 14 | 73 |
| May | 10 | 20 | 115 |
| June | 7 | 23 | 164 |
| July | 10 | 21 | 141 |
| August | 14 | 17 | 132 |
| September | 15 | 15 | 81 |
| October | 17 | 11 | 62 |
| November | 17 | 7 | 63 |
| December | 13 | 5 | 57 |
Zakopane weather for the next 7 days
Below is the current weather information for the next week. The weather data is updated in real time, so the information here is always up to date.
Webcams Zakopane
Below you will find images from cameras in Zakopane. So you can check the current weather conditions with your own eyes.
Camera Zakopane Krupówki - view of the promenade
Below you can see the current weather in Zakopane on Krupówki. The image is updated every few minutes.
Camera Zakopane Gubałówka - a view of the Tatra Mountains
Below you can see the current weather in Zakopane - online view from Gubałówka. The image is updated every few minutes.
Zakopane accommodation, hotels, cottages
If you already know which departure date is the best for you, it's time to look for a hotel. The links I put in the post direct to large, well-known and proven booking databases (Airbnb - [click] and booking - [click]).
These are the databases that I know and have been using myself for years. They check the reliability of the posted offers and verify their credibility. People and companies that offer poor-quality accommodation or with unreliable descriptions are removed from them. In the event of problems with the provision of the service, these websites often intervene on our behalf, forcing the owner of the facility to provide services in accordance with the offers posted on the website.
Base Airbnb focuses mainly on the offer of private individuals, houses, lodgings, rooms and apartments, while the base booking it places more emphasis on hotels, chalets and apartments.
I do not post links to other accommodation bases that I do not know. My assumption is that you should avoid trouble, especially on vacation, where we want to relax rather than waste time seeking consumer rights.
The links are prepared in such a way that they display offers from Zakopane in the first place, filtering out other, unnecessary offers located outside the area of our interest.
See accommodation offers in Zakopane:
- lodgings, cottages, accommodation in Airbnb - [click]
- hotels, cottages, apartments in booking - [click]
Weather in Zakopane month after month
For your convenience, I have compiled the basic information for all months into a typical "month by month" statement. A quick glance at the characteristics of a specific month will allow you to assess whether the chosen date of departure is a good idea.
Zakopane weather: January
Average air temperature during the day: -3 ℃
Average air temperature at night: -8 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 14
Number of rainfall days: 3
Total precipitation: 46 mm
Number of snowfall days: 14
Zakopane weather: February
Average air temperature during the day: -1 ℃
Average air temperature at night: -7 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 11
Number of rainfall days: 4
Total precipitation: 43 mm
Number of snowfall days: 13
Zakopane weather: March
Average air temperature during the day: 4 ℃
Average air temperature at night: -3 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 12
Number of rainfall days: 7
Total precipitation: 49 mm
Number of snowfall days: 12
Zakopane weather: April
Average air temperature during the day: 11 ℃
Average air temperature at night: 2 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 11
Number of rainfall days: 14
Total precipitation: 73 mm
Number of snowfall days: 5
Zakopane weather: May
Average air temperature during the day: 15 ℃
Average air temperature at night: 6 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 10
Number of rainfall days: 20
Total precipitation: 115 mm
Number of snowfall days: 1
Zakopane weather: June
Average air temperature during the day: 19 ℃
Average air temperature at night: 9 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 7
Number of rainfall days: 23
Total precipitation: 164 mm
Number of snowfall days: 0
Zakopane weather: July
Average air temperature during the day: 21 ℃
Average air temperature at night: 10 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 10
Number of rainfall days: 21
Total precipitation: 141 mm
Number of snowfall days: 0
Zakopane weather: August
Average air temperature during the day: 20 ℃
Average air temperature at night: 10 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 14
Number of rainfall days: 17
Total precipitation: 132 mm
Number of snowfall days: 0
Zakopane weather: September
Average air temperature during the day: 16 ℃
Average air temperature at night: 7 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 15
Number of rainfall days: 15
Total precipitation: 81 mm
Number of snowfall days: 0
Zakopane weather: October
Average air temperature during the day: 10 ℃
Average air temperature at night: 3 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 17
Number of rainfall days: 11
Total precipitation: 62 mm
Number of snowfall days: 3
Zakopane weather: November
Average air temperature during the day: 5 ℃
Average air temperature at night: -1 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 17
Number of rainfall days: 7
Total precipitation: 63 mm
Number of snowfall days: 6
Zakopane weather: December
Average air temperature during the day: -1 ℃
Average air temperature at night: -5 ℃
Number of days without precipitation: 13
Number of rainfall days: 5
Total precipitation: 57 mm
Number of snowfall days: 13
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