Frosty weather in Hungary: improvement expected, but danger of icing remains – latest updates

Weather conditions in Hungary are easing, and no snowfall or snowdrifts are expected nationwide on Wednesday, according to HungaroMet. The update was announced by National Directorate General for Disaster Management (OKF) spokesperson Dániel Mukics at a press briefing in Budapest following Wednesday’s meeting of the operational task force. He warned that no one should venture onto the ice of rivers, as it is life-threatening.

Warnings and forecasts

A warning (not an alert) has been issued for Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties due to the risk of freezing rain. Authorities advise travelers to check met.hu before setting off; if an alert is issued, people are urged to avoid travel if possible.

Fog is expected in southern parts of the country on Thursday, and no hazardous weather is forecast for Friday. There are no road or settlement closures and no weight restrictions in force anywhere in the country.

Utilities and transport

On Tuesday, power supply disruptions affected 3,846 consumption points across 12 settlements in nine counties and two Budapest districts. Most faults were resolved; by Wednesday morning, outages remained at nine locations in Budapest’s 13th district.

Drinking water supply issues were reported on Tuesday at 1,790 locations across 14 settlements in six counties and one Budapest district; currently, only 15 consumers in Tamási and 16 in Göd remain without water.

Waste collection is operating normally in 85% of the country, with 1–2 day delays in a few places. 139 machines are continuously engaged in snow clearing and de-icing. Rail services face replacement buses on some lines due mainly to accidents and, in a few cases, switch failures; delays are possible. Buses are running with 5–30 minute delays, and eight settlements are temporarily inaccessible by local bus services for safety reasons (details at utinform.hu). Some routes are operating but skipping certain stops.

Air traffic and waterways

On Tuesday, freezing rain disrupted air traffic: Liszt Ferenc International Airport neither departed nor accepted flights between 10:25 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. During the closure, eight flights diverted to Graz, Zagreb, or Belgrade. An Ethiopian Airlines cargo aircraft’s nose landing gear slipped off a taxiway and became stuck in snow during taxiing; there were no injuries, and the aircraft was recovered. Details: UPDATE: Budapest Airport reopens after shutdown, aircraft incident reported, 100E extra transport capacity

Due to ice drift, small boats and water sports are banned on the Danube. From Wednesday, a full navigation ban is in effect on the Tisza.

Health, emergency response, and safety

Hospital traumatology departments reported a 30% increase in patient numbers, and emergency services a 10% rise, compared with an average January day, reflecting more accidents linked to freezing rain. No surgeries had to be postponed nationwide. Firefighters responded to 112 weather-related incidents on Tuesday.

A fire broke out in a high school in Budapest

Shortly after 9 a.m. on Tuesday, a fire broke out at the Fazekas Mihály Practice Primary School and High School in Budapest’s 8th district after a transformer ignited in the basement. 1,125 people were evacuated; the fire was contained, and students were sheltered in warming buses and nearby municipal and church buildings.

Traffic accidents in Hungary

Police attended 212 traffic accidents on Tuesday; none were fatal, though 27 people were injured. Officers also assisted 104 isolated individuals. In addition, police carried out 770 shoreline checks at lakes and rivers to enforce ice-safety rules, issuing 26 warnings. With milder weather, ice cover on natural waters is expected to thin.

“No one should go onto the ice of rivers—it is life-threatening,” Mukics reiterated.

Read more news about the weather in Hungary.