The temperature dependence of the photoinduced dichroism and birefringence in rigid solutions of azo dyes in polymer matrices is investigated. A specific behavior of the birefringence, resulting from the temperature gradient, is demonstrated for the first time. The experimental results are described qualitatively by numerical results from a theoretical model of the photoprocesses. The influence of the temperature, changing the polymer matrix state, on the rate constants of trans-cis and cis-trans photoisomerization is shown.