Severe thunderstorms, hail and powerful winds are expected to sweep across large parts of Hungary on Sunday as a cold front moves through the country, prompting weather authorities to issue multiple warnings and alerts.
According to forecasts from HungaroMet, conditions will become increasingly unstable throughout the day, with showers and thunderstorms developing across expanding areas of the country. Some storms could become particularly intense in southern and south-western regions, bringing heavy rainfall, hail and damaging wind gusts.
Orange alerts issued for several counties
Hungary’s national meteorological service has issued weather warnings covering much of the country. The primary danger is expected to come from lightning strikes, but strong winds and hail may also accompany thunderstorms.
While first-level alerts remain in force across numerous counties, more serious second-level (orange) warnings have been issued for several southern regions where severe thunderstorms are most likely to develop.
According to Időkép, the highest risk areas include Baranya, Somogy, Tolna, Bács-Kiskun, Csongrád-Csanád and Békés counties, where thunderstorms may be accompanied by torrential downpours, hail and powerful wind gusts.
Pest County and Baranya County have also been highlighted by HungaroMet due to the potential for particularly severe storm activity.
Cold front to bring sharp temperature drop
The arrival of Sunday’s cold front will significantly change weather conditions across Hungary.
Morning temperatures are expected to start at around 17°C, but daytime highs will generally reach only 24–28°C. In areas affected by heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, temperatures could fall rapidly, creating a noticeably cooler feel compared to recent days.
North-western winds are forecast to strengthen across northern and north-eastern Hungary, while storm cells may generate locally gale-force gusts.
During the night, temperatures are expected to fall to between 12°C and 17°C, although some northern valleys could see even lower readings.
Dangerous UV radiation remains a concern
Despite the storm threat, very strong UV-B radiation is also forecast for parts of Hungary on Sunday.
HungaroMet has warned that UV levels in Southern Transdanubia and the Southern Great Plain are expected to exceed the warning threshold, with UV index values reaching above 7.0 in large parts of both regions.
Meteorologists advise people to avoid direct sun exposure between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. whenever possible, wear protective clothing and hats, and use sunscreen. Even people with normal skin types may experience sunburn after only 15 to 20 minutes in strong sunshine.
More unsettled weather ahead
The weather is expected to improve somewhat on Monday, with a mix of sunshine and clouds. However, scattered showers and thunderstorms may still develop, particularly across Transdanubia and southern Hungary.
Morning temperatures could drop to between 6°C and 15°C before daytime highs climb to 21–26°C.
The broader outlook suggests that temperatures will gradually rise again during the week, with afternoon highs returning to between 24°C and 29°C. However, occasional showers, thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected to remain part of Hungary’s weather pattern as a series of weather fronts continue to affect the region.
The latest forecasts come after several weeks of highly changeable weather across Hungary, marked by frequent cold fronts, sharp temperature contrasts and repeated thunderstorm warnings. In some recent cases, temperature differences of more than 10°C have been recorded between eastern and western parts of the country.
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