Hungary Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc, and Pécs
Summary
Hungary endured a scorching, dry stretch through the height of summer, marked by prolonged heatwaves and plunging river levels along the Danube. Average temperatures across late spring and early summer surged 2.2°C above baseline averages, placing May to July among the ten warmest such periods in nearly nine decades of record-keeping. The relentless heat and low rainfall sparked emergency drought warnings and severe water supply strains, with high temperatures expected to persist into late summer.
This month in numbers
During July 2026, Hungary recorded an average temperature of 23.08°C, sitting 2.1°C above the 1961-1990 historic baseline to rank 17th warmest in 87 years of records. That capped a hot 3-month period from May to July 2026, which averaged 20.95°C (2.2°C above normal) to rank 9th highest on record. Globally, July land temperatures were the 3rd highest ever observed, while the May to July period was the 2nd warmest ever recorded.
What changed
The recent surge continues a clear long-term warming trend in Hungary, which has warmed by 1.69°C compared to the late 20th-century baseline. Following 2025, which stood as the 11th warmest full year on record with an average of 11.98°C, 2026 has brought strong positive temperature anomalies across five of its first seven months, peaking in June at 3.6°C above average. Across the continent, Hungary ran roughly in line with the European group average (Europe), where 3-month temperatures were 2.33°C above baseline.
What’s driving change?
This exceptional heat has been largely driven by atmospheric and , which trapped hot air masses over Central Europe. As persistent dry weather dried out the ground, prevented natural evaporative cooling, accelerating daytime heat and sending the River Danube to historic low levels. Severe thunderstorms brought only brief regional disruption, while the heat and drought triggered emergency water restrictions across dozens of municipalities.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts indicate that above-average warmth and persistent dry conditions are likely to continue across Central Europe over the coming months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Hungary
Köppen Cfa · TemperateHungary has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 23.0°C, while January is the coldest at 0.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 573mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Hungary
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Hungary
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Hungary
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Hungary
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Hungary
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Hungary. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (10.5°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 24.3°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.9°C).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Hungary
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Hungary changing?
Hungary is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Hungary?
Hungary has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 23.0°C, while January is the coldest at 0.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 573mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Hungary come from?
Climate data for Hungary comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Hungary climate data cover?
The Hungary climate profile covers Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Hungary
How often is the Hungary climate update refreshed?
The Hungary climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Hungary climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Hungary climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.