A powerful cold front swept across Hungary yesterday, unleashing brutal storms primarily in the capital and the Lake Balaton region. In addition to temperatures dropping by as much as 20 degrees Celsius, hurricane-force winds ripped roofs off buildings—including a university building in Szeged—and toppled the steeple from the local Reformed church in Sápa. Crews are working around the clock to manage the damage, but even the minister has acknowledged that service restoration on several (electrified) railway lines could take weeks.

Brutal storm batters the country

This year has seen significantly fewer thunderstorms than usual at Lake Balaton, but on Monday, the storm warning season took a sharp turn as wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h were recorded for the first time this season—according to an analysis by HungaroMet Zrt. Readings from their Szigliget monitoring station showed gusts of up to 106 km/h, and in Balatonfüred at 1 PM yesterday, their instruments recorded hurricane-force winds of 130 km/h, noted HungaroMet Zrt.

Storm leaves trail of devastation Across Hungary

Disaster response units were overwhelmed, answering nearly 3,000 calls related to storm damage. One of the worst incidents occurred in Sápa, where the church’s steeple was torn down, damaging the building. Another major event happened in Szeged, where the roof of a university building was blown off and crashed into a nearby apartment complex, damaging both the condos and several parked cars. You can watch a video of the incident below.

Mayor Gergely Karácsony announced that parts of Óbuda Island had to be closed due to extensive storm damage.

• Significant damage at Lake Balaton and cancellations at Budapest Airport — UPDATE: airport closure and disaster zone declared

Photos of the Sáp church:

What’s in the forecast today?

Depending on evolving weather conditions, HungaroMet may issue a red warning today for the eastern and southeastern border areas due to severe thunderstorms with wind gusts exceeding 110 km/h, the Disaster Management Authority reported. HungaroMet noted that the storm system that arrived overnight is continuing northeast, bringing heavy rain, wind gusts, and smaller hail.

From late morning, multiple rounds of intense thunderstorms are possible from the south and southwest, accompanied by 60-90 km/h winds, hail, and localised downpours. The risk of severe storms is especially high in southern Hungary and the Transtisza region from midday onward. Favourable conditions for the organisation of thunderstorm cells increase the likelihood of a large, damaging storm system forming, particularly over the Great Plains.