Photos: Snow surprises Hungary today, with temperatures reaching just -2°C in some places

Snowfall began in the early hours of Monday on Kékes, Hungary’s highest peak, and the summits of the Bükk Mountains, thanks to low temperatures and the Mediterranean cyclone Deborah.

Snow covered Hungary’s mountain tops

According to Időkép, plentiful precipitation has soaked Hungary’s bone-dry ground, which may help crops grow and boost summer yields. In the highest peaks of the Northern Mountains, rain froze, leading to snow from Monday’s early hours. The first snowflakes appeared on Kékes on Monday night, and by Tuesday morning a thick snow layer covered the 1,014-metre-high mountaintop – not surprising, as temperatures there fell below -2°C.

The same transformation soon occurred on Bükk’s highest peaks, with Bánkút blanketed in white by Tuesday morning. The trend continued in the nearby Börzsöny Mountains, north of Budapest, where Nagy-Hideg-hegy (Great Cold Mountain) donned its white cloak.

What to expect later this week

According to Időkép, the wintry weather will end by tomorrow, as spring returns and melts the March snow.

We published our weather forecast on Monday. Temperatures will rise in the second half of the week. Wednesday will remain cloudy, but Thursday promises several hours of sunshine with afternoon highs of 10–16°C, following today’s 4–7°C.

Good Friday will bring similar variably cloudy conditions with prolonged sunny spells and highs of 12–17°C. Local rains are possible.

Holy Saturday should be mostly sunny with scattered cumulus clouds and daytime maxima of 12–17°C. Finally, Easter Sunday looks set to be mostly sunny and dry, with highs of 15–20°C.

Check out more of our articles about Hungary’s weather:

• Powerful geomagnetic storm bathes Lake Balaton and Hungary in otherworldly glow – photos, video
• Winter strikes back: Snowstorms and fierce winds sweep Western Hungary