Climate of Hungary

Hungary is a country in the eastern part of Central Europe, roughly equidistant from the Equator and the North Pole. It is more than 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) from both and about 1,000 kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean. Because of this position, Hungary has a temperate seasonal climate, which means the weather changes a lot throughout the year.

The climate of Hungary is shaped by environmental changes that happened during the Holocene Era. It is also influenced by two major climate systems: the continental climate and the oceanic climate. These systems affect the country at different times, causing frequent weather changes.

In 2007, Hungary was ranked sixth in an environmental protection index by Globalwatch and the Climate Action Network. This shows that Hungary has been working hard to protect its environment and manage its climate challenges.

Influencing factors

The climate of Hungary is shaped by its distance from the Atlantic Ocean and the strong westerly winds. While Hungary has a continental climate, it is not as extreme as the climate in Eastern Europe. For example, if we compare the Atlantic coast to places much farther east, cities in Hungary like Sopron, Putnok, and Tótkomlós fall in between.

Hungary is located in the Carpathian Basin, and the surrounding mountains help control the winds and weather patterns that reach the country. The climate is also affected by two important weather systems: the Icelandic Low and the Azores High. When low-pressure systems from Iceland move over Hungary, they bring cooler weather and rain. When the high-pressure system from the Azores is stronger, the weather becomes clear and dry, in both winter and summer. In winter, another system called the Siberian High can sometimes send cold air from Siberia and Eastern Europe into Hungary.

Sunshine

Hungary gets a fair amount of sunshine throughout the year. From north to south, the difference in sunshine is small because Hungary is only about 3 degrees in latitude. The total amount of sunshine on the ground each year ranges from 80 to 110 kilocalories per square centimeter.

The sunshine amount changes with the seasons. In summer, there is about 70 kilocalories per square centimeter, while in winter it drops to around 20 kilocalories per square centimeter. The number of sunny hours each year ranges from 1,700 to 2,100, with the most sunshine happening in July. Even on cloudy days, there is still some sunshine, making up about 46% of the possible sunshine time.

Temperature

Hungary has warmer temperatures than nearby countries like Austria because of warm winds that flow over the Alps. This can make Hungary about 2.5 °C warmer than its neighbors.

The usual temperature in Hungary ranges from 8 to 11 °C, but it can get much hotter or much colder. The highest temperature ever recorded was 41.9 °C, and the coldest was −35.0 °C.

Hungary’s weather is good for growing crops, but cold snaps in May can sometimes damage plants. The ground can get very hot on the surface, but deeper down, the temperature stays steady.

Wind

Wind plays an important role in shaping the climate by its speed, direction, and ability to move air masses. High up in the sky, about 4,000 meters above the ground, winds mostly blow from the west across the country. Closer to the ground, most winds come from the northwest, but east of the Tisza River, winds usually come from the north. The average speed of the wind across the whole country is between 1.5 and 2.5 on the Beaufort scale, which is about 2 to 3.5 meters per second. Changes in air pressure are not very big.

Precipitation

The average rain across Hungary each year is about 600 millimetres (24 inches). The driest area is in the east, near the Hortobágy, where it gets less than 500 millimetres (20 inches) of rain a year. The wettest place is along the western border, with nearly 1,000 millimetres (39 inches) of rain.

Most rain falls in late spring and early summer. In the southwest, there is also a lot of rain in October. Some places, like near the Mátra and Bükk mountains, have over 100 rainy days a year, while areas along the Tisza river have fewer than 80 rainy days. In summer, the Great Hungarian Plain can get very dusty because of low rain, heat, and strong winds. Thunderstorms and strong winds are common in summer, and snow falls in winter from late November to early March. The snow is usually thin in the eastern part of the country, averaging only about 4 centimetres (1.6 inches).

Humidity

In Hungary, the air holds more water in summer than in winter. On average, there is about 7.4 grams of water in every cubic meter of air. The most moisture is found in the western part of the country.

Terrain

The shape and features of Hungary, including its water and land, play a part in shaping its climate. While these features don't change the overall climate much, they do create smaller differences in temperature and weather in various places. For example, areas around big lakes, like Lake Balaton, have their own special weather patterns. The type of soil, hills made from certain rocks, and even the plants growing there all help create these smaller climate differences.

Hungary has relatively small changes in height from one place to another. However, the difference in height between the flat areas in the south and the gentle hills in the north creates noticeable climate differences between these two regions.

Examples

Hungary's climate is shaped by its location in eastern Central Europe. It sits roughly halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, more than 1,000 kilometres from both, and also about 1,000 kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean.

The climate today comes from changes that happened during a time called the Holocene Era. It is influenced by two big climate systems: one from the continent and one from the ocean.