A low front known as a ‘Genoa low’ is heading north across Europe, prompting local authorities to prepare for the worst.

In the Czech Republic, the environment minister warned on Wednesday that the country could see a repeat of the disastrous floods that afflicted it in 1997 and 2002.

In Poland too, record downpours are expected between September 12 and 16, the southwestern city of Wrocław’s mayor wrote on X.

“The predicted downpours are an absolute record for Wrocław,” Jacek Sutryk tweeted. “IMGW [the Meteorological Office] forecasts as much as 380 liters of rain per square meter.”

Sutryk has called a special crisis group, cancelled all public events in the city, and placed the emergency services on high alert. The city posted advice for residents to help them prepare. Like the Czech Republic, Wrocław was badly affected by flooding in 1997.

The crisis24 website said warnings applied across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland until at least September 16 and that strong winds, lightning, and hail may accompany storms.

“Heavy rainfall may trigger flooding in low-lying areas and strong winds may cause property damage and power outages," the website warned.

Rainfall is expected to reach around 50 liters per square meter in southwestern Poland on Thursday, and the IMGW has issued a warning for five provinces in the west of the country.

The heavy rains are expected to spread across the south of Poland on Friday, with rainfall predicted at 50-80 liters per square meter, and up to 100 liters per square meter in mountainous areas.

On Saturday the weather will achieve “full-blown cyclone status,” weather channel TVN Meteo reported, with the whole of southern and central Poland affected. TVN Meteo said the total rainfall from Thursday to Sunday could exceed 200 liters per square meter in some parts. The situation is expected to improve markedly on Monday.