Historic cold snap hits Hungary: Temperatures plummet to record lows
Hungary has experienced an extraordinary cold snap over the past few days, with Arctic air masses sweeping across the country. The combination of these freezing air currents and clear, windless nights has resulted in several record-low temperatures being recorded. One of the coldest readings was documented on the Bükk Plateau, marking a historic low for the region.
Coldest February nights in years
On 18 February, the weather station at Mohos-töbör (Mohos sinkhole), one of the coldest spots on the Bükk Plateau, recorded a staggering -28.7°C, Világgazdaság reports. This is the lowest temperature measured at the site since its installation in 2022, making it an unprecedented cold event for the area. According to HungaroMet data, although the national seasonal record of -15.6°C set on Wednesday was not officially broken on Thursday morning, the temperature still dropped to -15°C, remaining extremely close to the previous day’s record.
Similarly, at Vörösmeteor-töbör (Vörösmeteor sinkhole), temperatures fell to -24.6°C, demonstrating the severity of the cold spell, BOON writes. Experts attribute this extreme drop in temperature to Arctic air masses combined with clear and windless nights, which allowed the cold to settle in low-lying areas.
“Since the installation of the station in the summer of 2022, the lowest temperature recorded in the Mohos sinkhole was -28.7 °C for the daily minimum temperature”:
Historic cold records and climate trends
Despite the recent cold snap, long-term trends suggest that extreme winter temperatures are becoming increasingly rare due to climate change. Historically, Hungary has recorded even more severe winter temperatures, such as the lowest-ever February reading of -35.0°C, measured on 16 February 1940, in what is now Miskolc-Görömbölytapolca, Köpönyeg reports. Another historic event occurred on 24 February 1942, when the daily average temperature in Baja was -26.8°C, and the maximum daily temperature in Kecskemét-Miklóstelep did not rise above -23.0°C.
Interestingly, extreme cold has also led to other remarkable records in the past. On 15 February 1929, the deepest ground frost ever recorded in Hungary reached nearly one meter in depth in Debrecen.
Warming winters and the future of cold records
While February 2025 has already seen some particularly cold nights, the overall trend points towards a warming climate. The last few decades have witnessed milder winters, with record-breaking warm days becoming more frequent. For example, the highest-ever February temperature in Hungary was recorded on 28 February 2019, when the mercury soared to 23.5°C. This growing contrast between extreme cold and unexpected warmth highlights the increasing volatility of the climate.
Despite recent freezing temperatures, experts warn that breaking long-standing cold records will become less likely in the future. While occasional Arctic cold waves may still hit Hungary, the trend of milder winters appears to be solidifying.
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