The weekend weather in Hungary will bring the return of intense summer heat, with mostly cloudless skies, virtually no rain and temperatures climbing above 30°C across the country. The hottest conditions are expected on Sunday, when afternoon highs could reach 37°C, according to the latest forecast from HungaroMet, Hungary’s national meteorological service.

After a slight easing of the heat earlier in the week, temperatures will rise steadily from Friday, 14 August, through Sunday, 16 August. The dry spell will also continue, adding further pressure to areas already affected by severe agricultural drought. HungaroMet said earlier this week that most of Hungary was experiencing severe or extreme agricultural drought, with no meaningful rainfall expected in the days ahead.

Friday: sunny and dry across Hungary

Friday will be largely cloudless and sunny throughout the country. Some cumulus clouds may develop in eastern Hungary, but rainfall is not expected.

Winds will generally remain light or moderate and will come mainly from the east, although they could strengthen at times over the Northern Great Plain.

Daytime temperatures will already be high. HungaroMet’s latest national outlook indicates maximum temperatures of roughly 28–33°C, meaning summer heat will be felt almost everywhere.

Despite the rising temperatures, HungaroMet said no weather event meeting its official warning criteria was expected anywhere in Hungary up to midnight on Friday.

As we wrote today, the danger is not over, Budapest water supply under pressure again

Weekend weather in Hungary turns hotter on Saturday

Saturday will mark a more noticeable return of the heatwave. Mostly clear and dry weather is forecast, with only limited cloud development possible in eastern and south-eastern parts of Hungary.

Southerly winds may strengthen locally, while temperatures will show a considerable difference between the cool early morning and the hot afternoon.

Minimum temperatures are expected to range between 7°C and 20°C, with the lowest values likely in sheltered and traditionally cooler locations. By the afternoon, however, temperatures will rise to 30–35°C.

HungaroMet has also indicated first-level warnings for high daily mean temperatures in ten counties, including Pest, Bács-Kiskun, Békés, Csongrád-Csanád, Fejér, Győr-Moson-Sopron, Komárom-Esztergom, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Tolna and Veszprém. In these areas, the daily average temperature may exceed 25°C.

For foreign visitors, this means that even if mornings remain relatively comfortable in some parts of the country, conditions can become significantly hotter by early afternoon. Travellers planning sightseeing, hiking or outdoor activities should therefore be prepared for strong summer heat.

Sunday could bring temperatures of up to 37°C

The hottest part of the weekend is expected on Sunday. Mostly clear and sunny conditions will continue, although some clouds could reach north-western Hungary. Rain remains unlikely, while southerly winds may become brisk in places.

Morning temperatures are expected to range from around 10°C to 22°C, before the air heats up rapidly during the day. According to HungaroMet’s current forecast, afternoon highs are likely to reach 33–37°C.

City forecasts also point to intense heat: around 36°C is currently expected in Budapest and Győr, while Szeged and Debrecen could reach approximately 35°C on Sunday.

Dry weather adds to Hungary’s drought problems

The lack of rain is becoming increasingly significant. HungaroMet’s agricultural assessment published on 10 August said that rainfall over the previous months had fallen well below the long-term average in much of Hungary, while soil moisture levels were critically low across large areas.

The weekend weather in Hungary will therefore be favourable for outdoor programmes in terms of sunshine and the low risk of rain, but the rapidly intensifying heat will become the main concern. By Sunday afternoon, much of the country is likely to experience genuine heatwave conditions, bringing another spell of very hot and exceptionally dry weather to Hungary.

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