Climate change scenarios are in agreement as to the direction of air temperature changes in global warming, although the magnitude of the warming depends on the scenario adopted. In contrast, projections of changes in precipitation totals in Poland are not clear and obvious. Analysis of long-term observational series reveals no clear significant trends in levels of precipitation, despite periods of fluctuation, as well as an upward trend reported in the annual amount of precipitation, especially in northern Poland. However, the increasing variability of annual rainfall totals is commonly highlighted. In the years 1861–1990, the coefficient of variation of annual precipitation totals increased from about 10% to 16%. In the years 1971–2000, this coefficient for Poland increased to 17%, and in the period of 2001–2018, which is the subject of the present study, to 19%. Despite the lack of clear trends in annual totals, the increase in the coefficient of variation results in an increase in the frequency of both drought and floods. This unfavorable situation is exacerbated by the downward trend observed in the share of summer rainfall in the annual total. In urban areas with increasing surface sealing, the share of surface runoff in the water balance increases, and in this situation short-term rainfall will cause local flooding.

The aim of this study was to determine, by use PCA analysis, the impact of meteorological elements on the PM10 concentration on the example of the mountain valley. Daily values of selected meteorological elements, measured during a ten-year period in the spring, summer, autumn and winter, obtained from the meteorological station in Nowy Sącz, were adopted as variables explaining PM10 concentration. The level of PM10 was significantly affected by the maximum, minimum and average temperature in autumn, winter and spring. In summer the average and maximum temperature was significant. In winter, the first principle component mainly consisted of the combination of the average and maximum wind speed. The second principal component in spring, summer and autumn was the combination of the wind speed (average and maximum), but in winter humidity and atmospheric pressure seemed to be significant. The third principal component, in terms of strength of impact, was humidity in spring, the combination of humidity and minimum temperature in summer, and precipitation in autumn. In winter, the highest PM10 concentrations were observed during the non-directional, anticyclonic wedge conditions. Three principal components were distinguished in this situation: temperature (average, maximum and minimum); the combination of humidity and wind speed and precipitation.

This study presents three new regionalizations based on materials from 1971-2000 and from 1981-2010, and for an assumed scenario of a temperature increase of 1ºC. Heat resources are expressed in these regionalizations as sums of effective temperatures ≥10ºC, and water resources such as Sielianinov's hydrothermal coefficient K from June to August. An increase was found in the area of the moderately warm region with a sum of temperatures ≥10ºC from 61% in 1931-1960 to 62% in 1971-2000, 87% in the 30-year period 1981-2010, and 73% for the scenario with the assumed 1ºC temperature increase. In the last case, a new thermal region appeared: a warm region with a sum of temperatures ≥10ºC in the range of 2800-3200ºC, covering almost the entire remaining area of the country. As warming progresses, in the absence of clear tendencies for atmospheric precipitation, the climate in Poland is becoming increasingly dry. Areas classified as dry with a hydrothermal coefficient of 1.0-1.3 increased from 13% of the area of the country in 1931-1960 to 20% in the 30-year period 1971-2000, 46% in the 30-year period 1981-2010, and 65% for the scenario with a 1ºC temperature increase.

The aim of the study was to assess spatial variation in the tourism and investment potential of Staszowski County and to indicate possibilities for sustainable development of tourism in the area. The method of synthetic measures was used for the analysis, taking into account 45 features characterizing the tourism and investment space, including tourism assets, the state and protection of the environment, transport accessibility, hotels, eating establishments and supplementary facilities, service and technical infrastructure, population relations, and commune finances. The features were analysed using geostatistical and statistical tools. The analyses, despite certain methodological limitations, indicated that there is still great potential for more sustainable development of tourism in the county. The spatial distribution of the features did not show a tendency to form clusters, but most of them were located in the centre of the study area, in two communes—Staszów and Połaniec. The most attractive commune in terms of tourism and investment was Staszów, with strong tourism assets and a well-developed service and technical infrastructure. This commune, however, has one of the lowest environmental protection indices in the county.

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