Ice to blanket Lake Balaton in days after almost a decade – perfect for skating?

Ice is set to blanket Lake Balaton’s open waters within days, but don’t lace up your skates just yet—its condition won’t be safe for sports in the short term, warns HungaroMet Ltd. on their Facebook page.

They note that up to the early 2000s, the lake typically froze solid by January, often boasting ice thicknesses of around 20 centimetres. Lately, though, ice has been a rare sight on open water; the last major freeze-up hit in early 2017, with averages of 30 centimetres even far from shore, the Hungarian News Agency wrote.

Snow reaches 10 cm in Central Hungary:

Water temperatures currently hover at 1°C, and ice has already formed in the bays. Over the coming days, air temperatures around the lake should plunge steadily below freezing, while a thicker layer—about 10 centimetres—of snow builds up along the shores.

This combo will soon usher in continuous ice across open water, but it’ll still fall short for skating or other activities. As experts highlight, safe ice needs not just biting cold, but also a snow-free surface—snow messes with its structure in all the wrong ways.

Read also:

• Heavy snowfall continues: second-degree warning issued, another 15-20cm of snow expected – nationwide disruptions
• Attention! Airbus plane skids off Budapest Airport runway amid intense snowfall – photo, video

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