Relief is coming: Severe storms and hail hit Hungary as cooler weather arrives
After weeks of scorching heat, Hungary is finally seeing a break in the extreme temperatures, though the change in weather has not arrived quietly. On Sunday, widespread thunderstorms, heavy rain, and even hail are expected across the country, prompting second-level (orange) weather alerts in several counties.
According to HungaroMet, much of Hungary will remain under cloudy skies throughout the day, with frequent showers, thunderstorms, and locally intense downpours expected. Even areas where rain is less persistent will see limited sunshine. The storms could be accompanied by hail and strong wind gusts, especially in eastern regions such as the Great Hungarian Plain (Alföld), where severe weather conditions are more likely.
Orange alerts across the country
Due to the risk of thunderstorms, the national weather service has issued orange alerts for Békés, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Csongrád-Csanád, Hajdú-Bihar, Heves, Nógrád, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, and Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok counties. In addition, a second-level warning for heavy rain is in place for Pest, Baranya, Bács-Kiskun, Fejér, Heves, Tolna, and several other counties.
The storms may bring flash floods and localised damage due to heavy precipitation and wind. Wind gusts could become especially strong during thunderstorms, reaching potentially damaging speeds in the eastern and southeastern regions.
Temperatures drop below 30°C
With the arrival of the rainy front, temperatures have dropped significantly compared to previous days. Sunday’s maximums will range between 18 and 29 degrees Celsius, with cooler conditions in western and northwestern Hungary, while the southeast may still see slightly higher values. However, the perceived temperature may be lower in many areas due to strong northerly and northwesterly winds.
Temporary but welcome relief
The rainy and stormy weather is expected to ease gradually from the southwest starting late Sunday afternoon and evening. However, scattered showers and rain may continue into Monday and Tuesday, providing a longer-lasting cooling effect across the country.
Forecasters predict a return to more settled, summer-like weather in the second half of the week, with sunshine and pleasant temperatures remaining below the 30°C mark. While Sunday’s storms may cause disruptions, they also signal the end of the heatwave and the start of a milder period for much of Hungary.
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