weather

Record: Thunderstorms prompt 6 red alerts this summer in Hungary

storm

Thunderstorms this summer have prompted the authorities to order six red alerts over five days, more than in the whole of an average year, the National Meteorological Service said on Wednesday.

Red alerts are issued by the National Meteorological Service when there is a danger of hailstones more than 2 centimeters in diameter and stormy winds resulting in damage over a large area.

Hungary adopts third National Biodiversity Strategy

Hungary’s third National Biodiversity Strategy provides a comprehensive framework for the long-term preservation of the country’s wildlife and natural resources and defines the goals to be met by 2030, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday.

The strategy prioritises topics such as protected areas, containing invasive species that damage natural ecosystems, as well as sustainable agriculture, forestry and game and fish farming, the ministry said in a statement.

Tasks defined in the strategy include halting the decline of pollinators, improving the resilience of ecosystems to climate change, developing the elements of the green infrastructure network and mitigating pollution that threatens biodiversity, it said.

Preserving Hungary’s biodiversity is vital to the well-being of present and future generations, they said. Biodiversity is also the foundation of food production, and is essential for ensuring soil fertility and pollination as well as water and air depollution, while also providing raw materials for medicine and wood, according to the statement.

Featured image: illustration

Budapest’s iconic bath, national gallery seriously damaged in the extreme thunderstorm

budapest széchenyi thermal spa

The Saturday thunderstorm caused damages in Budapest, the repair costs are well above HUF billions. For example, the popular Csepel beach had to close for a while because of the damages it suffered due to the extreme weather. However, even iconic baths like the Széchenyi near the City Park and the national gallery in the Buda Castle were damaged.

According to Infostart, several Budapest beaches suffered considerable damages during the Saturday thunderstorm and hail. Ildikó Borosné Szűts, the CEO of the Budapest Spas cPlc, the weather caused disruptions in two baths and beaches in Budapest. One is the beach of Pesterzsébet, where the storm was heavy. Water got through to the cash desks and the machinery room. Therefore, mechanics had to pump out the water continuously.

Outdoor devices were also harmed because the soil could not soak the huge amount of water that had hit it in such a short time interval. Gardeners are working on the re-establishment of the environment tirelessly, she added.

The other place seriously hit by the storm causing disruptions was Budapest’s iconic Széchenyi bath near the City Park. The roof above an office collapsed because it could not hold the tremendous amount of water. As a result, a stucco also tumbled. Moreover, their astonishing marble hall also got soaked. Water rushed inwards below the doors, but their colleagues preserved their cold blood. Thus, they could restore everything by the dawn opening.

Széchenyi baths Budapest tourism Hungary

They are still measuring the damage caused by the storm, and will send the list to the insurer afterwards. Mrs Szűts said traffic in Budapest’s beaches and spas is behind the level of 2022 because of the unfavourable weather. That applies to July as well. Budapest’s beaches will remain open until 31 August, and they hope summer will return next week.

Artwork in the Hungarian National Gallery also damaged

Not only the beaches and spas were damaged during the weekend thunderstorm. According to Forbes, the Hungarian National Gallery closed because of the extreme storm. The roof was soaked, and the water could reach even the exhibited artworks. According to a source of 444.hu, the water damaged the art storage and exhibited artworks in several rooms. For example, they needed to take down some of the pieces from the Gulácsy exhibition because water flowed on the walls. The home of the national gallery:

Interestingly, the Hungarian National Gallery’s home is the palace building in Buda Castle. However, it regularly gets soaked during heavy rains. That concerns not only the surrounding of the dome but also some of the walls and the stores. The national gallery shared the following post about the sad events:

“Due to the extremely heavy rains of the past few days, several exhibition spaces of the Hungarian National Gallery have suffered a leak, but thanks to the immediate measures taken, the art collection was not damaged. The exhibitions will be temporarily closed, probably until the second half of the week, while the causes of the water damage are investigated. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING!”

HERE you may read our article on Europe’s two best thermal spas that are in Hungary. In THIS article, you may get information about the construction of the new national gallery in the City Park.

After weekend storm, lives, property protected

The Hungarian authorities have successfully protected lives and property after the past weekend’s storm during which a month’s worth of rain deluged most of the country, a government official said on Tuesday. Investments in flood protection, firming up dams and new equipment for disaster prevention were instrumental in protection efforts, Bence Retvari, interior ministry parliamentary state secretary told a press conference. The government has set aside a force majeure fund of HUF 2.6 billion (EUR 6.7 million) available to local councils that submit claims within seven days of a natural disaster, he noted.

Hungarian settlements in danger near flooding river

river mura

Flood defences are being strengthened in four settlements in Zala County, in western Hungary, around the flooding River Mura, which is likely to peak on Monday night, the local disaster management authorities have said.

Volunteers have used thousands of sandbags and mobile barriers to protect local villages, according to the Zala County Disaster Management Directorate’s website.

The water level of the River Mura was 548 centimeters at Letenye on Monday afternoon, and it is expected to peak at midnight.

The highest water level previously measured at Letenye was 554 centimeters.

Flood defence work is under way in other parts of the country, too, after the water level on the River Dráva reached a record 491 centimeters at Őrtilos, in the south-west, 15 centimetres higher than the previous record, the national water management directorate (OVF) told MTI.

The river’s water level is expected to peak at the southern border village of Drávaszabolcs on Thursday, topping the 596 centimeter record measured in 1972, the OVF said.

The directorate said it was prepared to assign experts to oversee the flood protection efforts to settlements where the mayor deems it necessary.

Hungary sends help to flood-ravaged Slovenia

Hungary’s armed forces have sent two helicopters to assist relief efforts in Slovenia as the country battles one of the worst floods in its recent history, the defence ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Plans are for the Hungarian troops to deliver non-perishable food supplies and medicine to flooded areas within a 100km radius of the Slovenj Gradec airport in northern Slovenia, the ministry cited Colonel Tamás Bali, the commander in charge of the operation, as saying.

The two H145 helicopters can deliver some 700kg of food in one pass to those in need, the statement said.

The Hungarian Armed Forces are cooperating in their relief mission with the Slovenian authorities, Bali added.

Changes in Budapest-Slovenia railway timetables

Hungary's public transport changes bus schedules

Passengers travelling by train from Budapest to Slovenia should expect changes due to the heavy rains and flooding that hit the country, the Hungarian State Railways, MÁV, announced.

According to MÁV, based on the Slovenian Railways, the following changes are expected.

  • All international trains are in service. On the Celje-Ljubljana section, replacement buses are used for part or all of the journey.
  • Occasionally passengers may have to change trains at Hodos and/or Maribor. Travel times will increase significantly on all routes.
  • The Citadella international daytime train typically runs between Budapest and Celje, from where you have to take a replacement bus.
  • One of the trains of the Istria international overnight train remained in Ljubljana and is now running between Koper/Rijeka-Ljubljana. The other train will run between Budapest and Hodos-Maribor-Celje, depending on the situation. Passengers who have booked a sleeper or berth should expect to be unable to travel the night as per the service they have booked.
  • Bicycle transport is not possible due to the replacement buses.

Travelling to Slovenia? HERE is the story of 38 Hungarian tourists stuck in Slovenia due to the extreme weather conditions.

Ryanair passengers stuck in Budapest and Zadar

Ryanair flight Budapest

Ryanair passengers were stranded in Zadar, Croatia and Budapest, Hungary, after two of the airline’s planes were damaged in a storm early Saturday morning.

Budapest-Bari flight delayed

According to information published by 24.hu, one of the planes was supposed to fly from Budapest to Bari, Italy, at 8.30 AM on Saturday morning. However, this did not happen and on Saturday afternoon, the display at Budapest Airport showed that the plane would take off at 10.25 PM.

Ryanair flight landed in Zagred instead of Zadar

Meanwhile, Utazómajom, a Hungarian travel portal, reported that Ryanair flight FR6521 from Budapest to Zadar on Friday evening was delayed by 70 minutes. However, due to bad weather conditions, after an hour of circling, the pilot of the aircraft decided to land in the safer Zagreb instead of Zadar.

However, passengers waiting in Zadar were not informed of this. According to a reader of Utazómajom in the Croatian town, Ryanair did not offer accommodation, transfers or any other assistance. Hence, they had to spend the night at the airport, along with many other families with young children. The only information they received by text message was to look for accommodation and keep the bill, and that they would try again to be brought home at 11.30 PM on Saturday night.

Ryanair kept delaying the flight

Many had spent the day in hotels and returned to the airport in the evening when they received a new notification: the flight had been rescheduled for 00:30 AM, Sunday. Despite Ryanair confirming the time to several passengers, shortly afterwards, the waiting passengers received another message telling them that they could only take off at 01:30 AM, Utazómajom reported in an updated article.

The portal added that those who couldn’t cope with the uncertainty got home by train, bus or family help. Although the airport officially serves scheduled flights only until 10 PM, it is open all day in emergencies.

“I love flying but I will definitely not fly for a while”

Index wrote about a passenger who was on the Ryanair flight FR6521 that was supposed to land in Zadar but instead landed in Zagreb due to the extreme weather.

According to the passenger, the Ryanair pilot announced before landing that there was a storm in Zadar, but there was no need to worry because they had filled up with enough fuel in Budapest in case they had to circle before landing. The plane circled for about an hour and then headed for Zagreb. The passenger added that for 20 minutes of the hour they were in the worst turbulence he had ever experienced. For 20 minutes, he was scared to death.

“I love flying but I will definitely not fly for a while,” he said.

You can read more HERE about the damaged Ryanair planes at Budapest Airport. HERE is the story of a group of Hungarian tourists stranded in Slovenia after violent storms.

Hungarian army helicopters in Slovenia, security of Hungarians must not be jeopardised

Floods in Slovenia

Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said on Sunday that following cooperation talks with Marjan Sarec, his Slovenian counterpart, the Hungarian army would send helicopters to Slovenia to help rescue operations in the neighbouring country.

He said a detailed military planning had already started. Neighbouring countries can always rely on Hungary’s help, the minister said. Storms and heavy rains in recent days have caused massive floods and significant damage in Slovenia, he said. We wrote about a Hungarian group trapped in a Slovenian hotel due to the extreme weather HERE.

Security of Hungarians beyond borders must not be jeopardised

The United States’ request from Hungary to disclose the personal data of 900,000 ethnic Hungarians living beyond the borders is “unrealistic” because a disclosure of such data would jeopardise their security, Bence Rétvári, the Hungarian interior ministry’s state secretary, told public broadcaster Kossuth rádió on Sunday.

The two countries have been making every effort over the past several years to find a solution to standing issues, Retvari said, noting that not long ago, on June 10, Hungary had sent a diplomatic note containing proposals. After this, a decision was announced by the United States to tighten visa rules for Hungarians, he said. “It is an unprecedented and unrealistic request from a country to disclose the personal data of several hundreds of thousands of its citizens because every country safeguards such data with legal guarantees, so does Hungary,” Retvari said.

He said that law enforcement cooperation with the United States had been successful over the past years with the two sides’ continuing coordination on cases implicated. Retvari said Hungary would certainly respond to every case signalled by the US within the shortest possible time. He said proceedings in alleged unlawful cases had been launched and if a breach of law was established, the Hungarian citizenship has been revoked. Hungary will maintain dialogue and cooperate with its ally, the United States, in each case indicated, he said.

We wrote HERE about further possible Washington restrictions.

 

Group of 38 Hungarian tourists stranded in Slovenia hotel after violent storms

slovenia flood weather

A group of 38 Hungarian tourists were stranded in Slovenia due to extreme weather conditions on Saturday. The travellers were staying in a four-star hotel in Laško when the flooding of the Savinja river put them in a dangerous situation. There have already been three fatalities in Slovenia due to the extreme harsh weather.

Group of Hungarians stranded in Slovenia

A group of 38 Hungarian tourists are stranded in the town of Laško in eastern Slovenia. One of them reported to Index, along with several media outlets, from the scene how the four-star hotel on the banks of the Savinja River where they were staying was flooded.

“At 7 AM, the sirens of the emergency services could already be heard. Staff members went from room to room to warn us of the danger,” recalled Boglárka Szabó, one of the Hungarians stranded in Slovenia. You can check out the photos Szabó and the others took HERE.

The group was due to leave the hotel on Saturday. However, their departure, scheduled for 10 AM, was cancelled due to the storms. The roads around the hotel were already impassable by that time, so the Hungarian group, preparing to leave, returned to the hotel, 444.hu reports.

Hotel flooded, bridges floating

The hotel’s underground car park was flooded, so staff broke into several cars to move them to a safer location. Firefighters even attempted to pump the water out, but this failed as the water level kept rising.

Boglárka Szabó noted that the lift shafts were also full of water, so many people had to use the stairs. There were also a number of Paralympians in the hotel who were particularly badly affected by the situation. The water flooded the ground floor and the reception area, and hotel staff also used PUR foam, rags and sandbags to try to reduce the inflow of water.

“The water flow and level of the Savinja River, next to the hotel, has risen dramatically, bringing with it a lot of debris such as refrigerators, car tyres, oil drums, hay bales, factory pipes and much more. Much of this was caught on bridges that cross the rivers. No wonder the bridges were also floating,” the message concluded. The city and its region have received about 200 mm of rainfall in just 12 hours.

Deaths caused by extreme weather

There have been several deaths in the extreme weather in Slovenia. So far, at least three people have died in the country. One of them was a Slovak citizen, while the other two were Dutch. They all died in the area of the city of Kranj. The exact cause and details of their deaths have not yet been released by the authorities, Index writes.

PHOTOS: Disruptions at Budapest Airport, two Ryanair planes seriously damaged, runway 2 inoperable

Ryanair, Budapest, airport, Hungary

The late-night Friday thunderstorm caused damages and disruptions at Budapest’s international airport, Ferihegy. According to the airport’s press office, they suspended operation between 1.45 AM and 6 AM today because of the extreme weather since taking off and landing would not have been safe.

Due to the extraordinary closure in service, Wizz Air’s flights from Lisbon and Corfu, Air France’s flight from Paris and British Airways’ London-Budapest plane were redirected to Debrecen, Vienna and Belgrade. Meanwhile, early morning flights departed with delays from Budapest Airport, telex.hu wrote. Furthermore, additional delays are expected concerning several Ryanair flights because two jets were damaged during the night thunderstorm and hail.

Thunderstorm Hungary Budapest Airport
Photo: MTI

Budapest Airport highlighted that the airgate has been operating safely since 6 AM. However, only runway 1 is operable because maintenance workers are now cleaning runway 2 from the debris and mud the storm threw there. Furthermore, they need to repair the beacons, but they hope they will finish all that work by noon.

Meanwhile, the terminals got soaked in many places. Budapest Airport staff are continuously repairing those, but the work does not hinder airport traffic. The company gives detailed information about the current situation on their website HERE.

According to a reader of Telex, the underpass leading to Budapest Airport from the city centre is also underwater. Therefore, you should calculate a longer travel time or choose an alternative route to Ferihegy.

Thunderstorm, hail and downpour coming to Hungary: expect extreme headaches

Hungary storm forecast meteorological service

Not what you would call a typical summer weather is coming (again) to Hungary. Many people will experience headaches, concentration problems and fluctuations in blood pressure.

The “battle of air masses”

According to the National Meteorological Service’s (OMSZ) Facebook page, a wavy frontal zone will shape our weather in the coming period, followed by a Mediterranean cyclone over the weekend. Cooler air will move in from the northwest, while hot air will continue to flow in from the southeast.

The “battle” of air masses will be accompanied by sufficient humidity and favourable atmospheric instability conditions. Overall, several waves of showers, thunderstorms and rain are expected.

According to the National Meteorological Service, the wavy frontal system will reach our region from the west, moving only slowly towards the east and southeast.

Expect thunderstorms, winds, hail

On Friday, after a temporary break, thunderstorms are expected from the afternoon hours, mainly in the lowlands and northeastern areas. They will be accompanied by gusty winds (60-90 km/h), hail (2-5 cm) and downpours (25-50, in some places > 50 mm). Severe thunderstorms may also develop, accompanied by damaging wind gusts (> 90 km/h) and hail up to 5 cm.

From Friday evening, a widespread thunderstorm system could arrive from the southwest, with the aforementioned severe weather.

Medical meteorology and the effects of fronts on us

Due to the wavy frontal zone over our area, the weather may be more stressful for those sensitive to cold fronts in the northwest and warm fronts in the rest of the country. Many people may experience headaches, lack of concentration and fluctuations in blood pressure. Greater caution is needed in traffic, as the increased reaction time may indirectly contribute to accidents.

Shocking list about summer heatwaves

For the third year in a row, July was so hot in Hungary that all of them made the list of the 10 hottest July months since 1901, according to the OMSZ.

  • July 2021 was the hottest month in Hungary, with a national average of 23.73 degrees Celsius;
  • 2022 was the 5th warmest with 23.11 degrees Celsius;
  • and this year was the 9th warmest July by a tie with 22.72 degrees Celsius.

PHOTOS, VIDEOS: Winter arrived in Hungary, ice and snow cover a town

Winter in Hungary in July

Thunderstorm reached Kisvárda in Northeast Hungary yesterday afternoon, and the environment turned wintery for a short while. People stood in ankle-high ice and snow. Here are some photos and videos about how “winter” arrived in Hungary during the hottest summer period.

According to 24.hu, Kisvárda was covered in centimetres-deep ice yesterday afternoon. The Hungarian Meteorological Service (OMSZ) warned about the thunderstorm and the strong winds reaching 60-85 km/h. They talked about tiny pieces of ice, but did not talk about such huge frost balls like in these videos:

This video is from Pap, a small village near Kisvárda:

And here is the result. Winter in Hungary in July:

Ankle-high ice and snow in Kisvárda:

Driving in the rainstorm:

And here are some more photos from Kisvárda:

Winter remains? Here is what you should expect next week

Today, similar thunderstorms are expected in the Transdanubia. The storm will move to the Eastern regions later today. Rainstorms will be the most perilous, creating ~20-40 mm precipitation in no time. Furthermore, they will be accompanied by strong winds (>80 km/h) and hail (~1-3 cm).

The rainstorm over Budapest and Pest County on Friday caused a lot of damage, origo.hu wrote. Trees fell on the roads and vehicles, and the strong winds damaged electric wires. The districts suffering the most from the extreme weather were the 3rd, 4th, 11th, 14th and 19th. Similar damages were reported in Erdőkertes, Pilisborosjenő, and Nagytarcsa, Pest County.

Concerning next week’s weather, idokep.hu writes that we should expect comfortable summer weather with no extreme heat or precipitation. Temperature maximums will be between 25 and 34 °C. However, we should expect thunderstorms, rainstorms and hail. Sunday morning will be the coldest. The thermometers will show only 15 °C in some places in Hungary.

Here are two maps: the upper one shows Sunday morning. Below, you may check out Sunday afternoon (l) and Monday morning (r):

Thunderstorm at Lake Balaton yesterday evening:

And this was Budapest yesterday afternoon:

Perfect summer weather to come after heatwave in Hungary this week

Karakas pasha spire Buda Castle

This week will kick off with even warmer weather. However, storms and rain are on their way to many Hungarian counties. A cold snap will finally happen on Wednesday. The temperature will drop lower and lower, and by Thursday, it will be as low as 21-26 Celsius degrees.

Monday

As Blikk reported, the weather will be mostly sunny on Monday. There will be very few clouds, but by the afternoon, smaller showers might occur in the northern counties. Wind from the south and southwest will become stronger in several places. In the vicinity of thunderstorms, gusts may cause damages. Daytime highs are expected to be between 31-36 Celsius degrees.

Tuesday

Heavy cloud cover, several hours of sunshine are to be expected over most of the country. In many places, showers and heavy rain might ruin the sunny day. The wind might pick up in the southwest and then in the northwest regions. The temperature in the early hours will be around 16-23 Celsius degrees, by the afternoon it will reach 24-36 degrees. In southern and eastern counties, the temperature will be higher.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, the cold snap will show itself. Heavy cloud cover will form, which will be less prominent in the second half of the day. Sunny hours will be abrupted by heavy rain and storms. The storms will move eastwards in the afternoon. In the early hours, the temperature will be as low as 12-19 degrees. By the afternoon, it will creep up to 19-28 degrees. However, a higher temperature is expected in the southern counties as usual.

Thursday

Thursday will be mostly sunny with very few clouds. In the eastern and northeastern regions, some lighter showers may occur. In many places, the wind will become stronger from the northwest and then southwest. Air temperatures will be 6-14 degrees and it will warm up to 21-26 degrees in the afternoon.

Friday

Similarly to Tuesday, Friday will be mostly sunny with only a few clouds getting in the way of sunshine. Rain is unlikely, but winds from the south and southwest will increase in some counties. The weather will be cool in the morning, around 7-16 Celsius degrees. But it will warm up to a pleasant 25-31 degrees.

Saturday

Saturday will be mostly sunny with some clouds and veils. In some regions, quick showers might occur. The wind coming from the southwest and northwest might become stronger. The temperature in the morning will be approximately 11-20 Celsius degrees, and by the afternoon, it will reach 27-32 degrees.

Sunday

As expected, the weather will be mostly sunny on Sunday as well. Despite that, there may be heavier clouds and scattered showers and thunderstorms. The wind coming from the north and the northwest will be stronger, especially in the regions affected by thunderstorms. The lowest temperature on this day will be 13-20 degrees, while the highest will be 25-31 degrees.

Highest level of heat warnings issued for several Hungarian counties

EFOTT festival Lake Velence Hungary

The National Meteorological Service on Monday morning issued a highest-level heat alert for the southern counties of Bács-Kiskun, Csongrád-Csanád és Békés where the median temperature could reach 29 degrees Celsius.

Median temperatures in the central regions could reach 27 degrees and between 25-26 degrees elsewhere in the country, the service said in a statement.

Monday

Expect lots of sunshine with clouds and cloud cover. Scattered showers and thunderstorms, possibly accompanied by downpours, are possible, especially in the northern and northeastern parts of the country. However, there is a smaller chance and a higher number of such precipitation clouds elsewhere. West to north-westerly winds will increase in several places, with gusty gusts possible around thunderstorms. Daytime highs are expected to be between 31 and 38 degrees Celsius, with some areas in the southeast reaching 39 degrees. By late evening, temperatures will drop to between 22 and 28 degrees.

Tuesdayhungary

The forecast is for sunny skies with clouds and cloud cover. The weather will be dry with a chance of showers. North, northwest winds becoming stronger in several areas. In the afternoon, temperatures will be between 30 and 36 degrees.

As we wrote a few days ago, a violent storm ravished Hungary – VIDEO, PHOTOS

Attention: Heat alert issued from today in Hungary! – UPDATED

Heat alert Hungary

A third-degree heat alert will be in effect in Hungary from early Saturday until Wednesday midnight, the national health and disaster management authorities have said.

Third-degree heat alerts are issued when the median temperature reaches or exceeds 27 degrees Celsius three days in a row. The heat alert comes with advice to drink plenty, avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm and to stay in the shade. Those who work or spend time outdoors are advised to wear loose-fitting clothing and use skin protection.

Interior ministry declares heat alert

With especially hot weather expected in the coming days, the authorities have declared a heat alert lasting until Wednesday evening, and measures include ensuring access to a safe place for the homeless and anyone else experiencing difficulties. A national “red” heat alert was ordered twice in the recent period, while before that this only happened several years ago, the state secretary for welfare, Attila Fülöp, told a press conference on Saturday.

Everyone is asked to take special care of themselves and to report any encounters with a homeless person on the street to the authorities, he said.

VIDEO, PHOTO: this is how the violent storm ravished Hungary

Sopron storm

Temperatures in Hungary dropped 15 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning as a massive storm hit the country. The freak weather event left behind damage and disruptions in its wake, in many places.

A red alert was issued by the National Metrological Service in Hungary, lasting until 9 AM. The storm that moved across the country on Thursday morning caused damage in many places.

An orange alert has been still in force in the southeast and eastern regions of Hungary.

“Yesterday, the heat was still raging, temperatures of 35-37 degrees were not uncommon, but now the long-anticipated refreshment has arrived, with temperatures of 18-20 degrees in most parts of the country – with the exception of the southeastern regions”, says Időkép.

This is how the storm devastated Sopron:

More videos and pictures of the storm

Scorching heat: warnings in Hungary and new global record

Unbelievable heat in Hungary

The average global temperature has hit a new record. And the heat wave is here to stay in Hungary. Most parts of the country are already under heat warnings.

Warnings in Hungary

According to Index, on Monday, the National Meteorological Service issued a warning for 14 counties in Hungary due to high daily average temperatures. By the afternoon, temperatures could reach between 30 and 36 Celsius degrees. Doctors are warning everyone about the high risk of sunstroke and heatstroke. Professionals suggest that during the heatwave (especially between 11 AM and 3 PM) people should stay in a cool place, in the shade and avoid physical work. Due to the heat, the body needs more water than usual, so it is important to keep proper hydration in mind. In addition to that, pay attention to the fact that extreme heat takes a toll even on a healthy individual, but young children, the elderly and people with cardiovascular diseases are at particular risk.

Global average heat record

Last week was the world’s hottest week since records broke. Following the hottest June ever, the WMO expects temperatures to rise further due to the El Niño phenomenon. The ocean surface temperatures have surged in the central and eastern Pacific for the first time in seven years. The previous record was smashed in 2016 during the previous El Niño. The global average temperature was 16.94 Celsius degrees. According to WMO, the effects of the current El Niño can be felt even is 2024. The new heat record is 17.24 Celsius degrees, recorded last Friday. Experts reckon that this is another sign of the global warming. Last month, global average temperatures were 0.5 Celsius degrees above the average for the period 1991–2020. Record highs were reported also in north-west Europe. Global sea surface temperatures hit record highs in both May and June this year. The Geneva-based organisation also warns of the impacts on fisheries and weather patterns. Antarctic sea ice has reached its lowest too, currently, it is below the average, at 17%. Omar Baddour, Coordinator of the Climate Data and Monitoring Activities at the World Meteorological Organization says:

The North Atlantic is one of the key drivers of extreme weather. With the warming of the Atlantic, there is an increasing likelihood of more hurricanes and tropical cyclones. North Atlantic Sea surface temperature is associated with heavy rain or drought in West Africa.

PHOTOS: Canadian smoke and Saharan dust clouds reached Hungary

Weather Hungary Canadian smoke Saharan dust clouds

“Many of you noticed that the high atmosphere is no longer crystal clear”, the Hungarian Meteorological Service (OMSZ) broke the news in their relevant Facebook post yesterday.

They said the phenomenon is present not only in Hungary but also in Europe’s western and southern parts. It’s partly down to the large amount of Saharan dust, which is high above the Algerian, Alboran and Balearic Basins of the Mediterranean Sea. That’s the reason why the sky above Hungary is slightly brownish in the evening and morning hours.

Meanwhile, a large smoke cloud also reached Hungary causing a turquoise shade both at dusk and dawn. That is the smoke of the extensive forest fires in Canada.

OMSZ shared a map and marked where the dust and the smoke were detected yesterday early morning. Füst stands for smoke and szaharai por means Saharan dust in Hungarian. Here is the map:

The brownish sky at sunset:

OMSZ also said that rainstorms and thunderstorms are expected to rule Wednesday and Thursday with very high temperatures. Here is their map:

This is how the sky looked yesterday evening in Northeast Hungary:

The maximums will reach 33-36 degrees today:

Heat wave: Red code issued in Hungary

girls water heatwave

The state secretary for social care policy issued a weather-related “red code” on Monday, mandating social institutions to accept homeless or vulnerable people during the heat wave.

Attila Fülöp told a press conference on Monday that the order is in force from 8 AM on Monday until 9 PM on Wednesday.

Earlier, the chief medical officer issued a second-degree heat alert in effect between midnight Sunday and midnight Wednesday. Median temperatures are expected to be above 25 degrees Celsius nationwide, and top temperatures will be between 30-36 degrees on Monday, 28-35 degrees on Tuesday and 29-38 degrees on Wednesday, the National Meteorological Service said.

Cold front disrupts the summer heat in Hungary – weather forecast

Spring Hungary weather

Temperatures in Hungary will be around 30 degrees Celsius at the beginning and end of the week. However, a cold front will refresh the warm air in the middle of the week.

Temperatures are expected to be around 30 degrees Celsius at the beginning and end of the week. However, a cold front will break through on Tuesday, which may bring some rain on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, MTI reports, based on the medium-term forecast of the National Meteorological Service. Here is what to expect for this week:

Monday

Plenty of sunshine, no precipitation, with a few clouds in places. Highs will be around 26-31 degrees.

Tuesday

The day will start with sunny weather. However, in the morning in the North Transdanubian region, then during the day in the rest of the country, clouds will increase. In the evening, a cold front will move in. Showers and thunderstorms are possible in the southwest and southern counties. Daytime highs will be 24-30 degrees Celsius, overnight 13-21 degrees.

Wednesday

It will be grey in the morning due to clouds, but the sun may come out during the day. In the southern counties, it may even rain at dawn, with a minimum of 13-18 degrees and a maximum of 19-26.

Thursday

Sunny weather with some clouds in places, but some rain in the northeast-east. Overnight temperatures will be 8-15 degrees, daytime highs 21-28 degrees.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Expect cloudy skies with showers and thunderstorms in places. Night temperatures will be between 10-13 and 18-19 degrees Celsius, with daytime highs between 22-25 and 30-31 degrees Celsius.