Lake Balaton waters warming at alarming rate: Future summers may leave no room to cool off

Over the past two decades, Lake Balaton’s average water temperature has increased by 0.7°C per decade, with the most dramatic rise occurring in the western basin near Keszthely.

Researchers at the HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute have been studying satellite data to track changes in the lake’s surface water temperature over the last 20 years, Economx reports. Their findings reveal that the average temperature of Lake Balaton has risen significantly: by 0.7°C every 10 years. The most affected area is the shallow western Keszthely basin, where temperatures have surged by 1.8°C between 2000 and 2024.

Lake Balaton experiences warming at an alarming rate

Boglárka Somogyi, senior researcher and head of the Hydrobotanical and Microbial Ecology Research Group, explained that the shallow western regions of the lake experience the most warming in spring and summer, while the deeper eastern parts are more affected during autumn and winter.

Lead author of the study, Huan Li, noted that although they lack precise figures on how much warmer the lake could become in the next 10 to 20 years, their ongoing long-term research aims to provide clearer forecasts. Preliminary data suggests that if climate change continues unchecked, the lake’s temperature could rise by 0.5-0.7°C per decade over the coming years.

Li also mentioned that the increasing size and number of marinas around the lake do not directly influence water temperatures. However, the urbanisation of the shoreline—2/3rds of which is now developed—is contributing to the heating of the lake. This is supported by their current research, which highlights that human activities, such as urbanisation and land reclamation, are exacerbating the warming trend.