Hungary records driest January-September period in 125-year history
Hungarian meteorological data show that the first nine months of the year were the driest since records began in 1901, with rainfall far below long-term averages.
Hungarian climate monitoring agency HungaroMet reports that the period from January to September this year was the most arid since the agency began observations in 1901. Rainfall during these nine months was markedly lower than the historical average, creating a pronounced deficit across the country. September’s mean temperature reached 17.7 °C, roughly 1.7 °C above the average for the 1991-2020 reference period, and the month ranked as one of the driest in the past 125 years.
Nationwide, September’s precipitation was substantially below typical levels, with the Alföld region receiving less than ten millimetres on average and only isolated spots in western Transdanubia approaching higher values. In central and eastern Hungary, total rainfall for the nine-month span remained well under normal ranges, while mountainous areas also recorded significant shortfalls compared with long-term norms.
Why it matters
The extreme dryness raises concerns about water supply, agriculture and fire risk across Hungary.
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