Now it’s official: In Hungary, summer 2022 hottest since 1901

Photo:MTI

The summer of 2022 was the hottest since 1901, with median temperatures reaching 22.9 C, two degrees above the average between 1901 and 2020, the National Meteorological Service (OMSZ) said on Monday.

The summer saw five heat waves, with only short cooler periods in between, OMSZ said. Top temperatures were above average in all three summer months, hitting 39.6 C in June in Berettyoujfalu, in eastern Hungary, and rising to 41.5 C in Hodmezovasarhely, in the southeast, in July. After a cooler period in early August, temperatures soared again, and a daily record of 39.6 C was measured in Baja, in southern Hungary.

The number of hot days was also above average. In the whole summer, 11 days saw temperatures above 35 C, 8 more than the average, and there were 46 days with temperatures above 30 degrees, 20 more than the average, OMSZ said.

This summer was also the 24th driest summer since 1901, with only 137.3mm of precipitation on average, compared with the seasonal average of 203.5mm, OMSZ said. The most rain fell in Rabagyarmat (347.8mm) this summer, while the driest was Mezobereny Hosszufok (31.5mm). In southeastern Hungary, this summer was the driest since 1901.

The January-August period was the driest since 1901 in the Great Plain and east of the River Tisza.