Extreme winter weather in Hungary: strains emergency services, transport, and utilities – UPDATE: orange alerts withdrawn

Hungary’s emergency services and transport networks were placed under heavy pressure due to freezing rain, snow, and severe icing, with hundreds of incidents reported nationwide over the past 24 hours.

According to the National Directorate General for Disaster Management (OKF), firefighters responded to 111 incidents between 4 a.m. Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday, related to the extreme weather, was more than 50% higher than during the same period last year. A total of 492 professional and municipal firefighters, supported by 97 vehicles, were deployed.

Road disruptions and truck bans on major motorways

The disaster management authority reported 12 major incidents on the national road network that required temporary traffic restrictions. These were caused by snowdrifts, accidents, vehicles skidding off roads, or trucks becoming stuck or breaking down. No settlements were cut off due to the weather.

Due to dangerous road conditions:

• A truck ban was introduced overnight on sections of the M85 motorway.
• Heavy goods vehicles are currently banned from the entire M1 motorway and the M15 road between the M1 junction and the Rajka border crossing.
• Because of freezing rain, trucks over 7.5 tonnes are also restricted between Lébény (exit 142) and the Hegyeshalom border crossing on the M1, as well as on the entire M15 motorway.
• Truck traffic is also being restricted on the Hungarian entry side at Rajka.

Power and water supply disruptions reported

On Monday, electricity supply was disrupted at nearly 5,900 locations across 11 counties, 23 settlements, and one district of Budapest. According to OKF, all power outages have since been resolved.

However, water supply disruptions were reported in parts of Komárom-Esztergom, Somogy, and Tolna counties, affecting six settlements and one Budapest district.
At the time of reporting:

• Partial outages remained in Sátoraljaújhely-Károlyfalva and Budapest’s 15th district.
• Full water supply outages were reported in Kenézlő, Zalkod, and Viss in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county.

Weather alerts updated as conditions evolve

The national weather service, HungaroMet, had withdrawn second-level (orange) freezing rain warnings for Fejér and Győr-Moson-Sopron counties, as well as for Komárom-Esztergom county and Budapest.

However, orange alerts remain in force in Pest and Bács-Kiskun counties.

More snow expected in eastern Hungary

At a briefing of the operational task force in Budapest, HungaroMet CEO Gábor Gyula Szanka said significant snowfall is expected east of the Budapest–Békéscsaba line, while areas further west are more likely to see rain.

Authorities urge caution

National Directorate General for Disaster Management spokesperson Dániel Mukics urged the public not to venture onto frozen rivers, warning that ice conditions remain dangerous.

Meanwhile, National Police Headquarters traffic chief József Óberling said accident figures over recent days have remained in line with an average winter day, suggesting drivers have adapted to the conditions.

Public transport disruptions in Budapest – UPDATE

In Budapest, icy and slippery roads caused tram disruptions, with replacement buses deployed on several routes. The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) urged passengers to travel with caution, allow extra travel time, and use winter-prepared vehicles only.

UPDATE: Tram services in Budapest are gradually returning to normal, although localized delays may still occur.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and urge residents and travellers to follow official updates and exercise extreme caution while severe winter conditions persist.

Budapest Aiport

Budapest Airport suspends flights due to extreme icing – UPDATE: aircraft accident

Read also: After Lake Balaton, the Danube is starting to freeze too: But stepping on the ice could be fatal!

UPDATE 2

Authorities have lifted all second-degree alerts issued due to freezing rain

HungaroMet Zrt. lifted all second-degree (orange) alerts issued due to freezing rain on Tuesday afternoon.

In the morning, the meteorological service issued a second-degree (orange) alert for part of the Western region and then for certain districts in the central part of the country due to the risk of persistent freezing rain.

The second-degree alerts were withdrawn in the early afternoon, but a first-degree (lemon yellow) alert remains in effect in certain districts of Csongrád-Csanád County, as light freezing rain is still expected. The expected precipitation in these areas is a few tenths of a millimeter.

According to the forecast, precipitation is expected to cease everywhere in the country by evening.

Read our latest Hungary weather forecast: freezing rain gives way to milder conditions