This winter has claimed its first victim, as a 70-year-old citizen of Lipnica Wielka, in southern Poland, died of frostbite on Friday night where the temperature dropped to 7 degrees Celsius below zero.

The man's body was found Saturday morning, informed the police in nearby Nowy Targ. As weather forecasts point out, temperatures in the region may soon fall to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

The beginning of the week is to see strong snow storms and blizzards across the country. Up to ten centimetres of snow is expected to fall in the northern and south-eastern parts of Poland, and up to 20 centimetres in the southwest, with 45 centimetres to fall in the Sudety mountains.

According to weather forecasts, temperatures will range from minus to plus 1 degrees Celsius in most of the country, except for the north-eastern parts with frost hitting minus 4 degrees. Sub-zero temperatures will continue Sunday night, dropping to minus 8 degrees in the northeast. (aba/jb)