Weather Budapest
Budapest is a spectacular city. One of the things you will notice about Budapest is how vast and grand it is. The buildings are enormous, the roads are wide and the city as a whole is just immense. So it seems fitting that it has such a distinct, varied four season climate with harsh winters and hot glorious summers. The Hungarian weather is described as continental climate which is characterized by temperatures that are cold enough to support a fixed period of snow each year and relatively moderate precipitation year round with a fair amount of it occurring in the summer months. Take a look at the weather forecast here.
Precipitation in Budapest is fairly scattered across the year. November on average sees the greatest 'wet days,' averaging 14 for the month. December, January, May and June each average thirteen wet days and August and September see the least at nine and seven respectively. In saying this May and November measure the greatest precipitation, measure 70mm to 72 mm across each month. With these figures you can see that the rainfall across the year is fairly sporadic with light precipitation falling in the months outside of summer, but the warmer months seeing heavier but less frequent rain.
Winter weather in Budapest
Winters in Budapest are cold and bitter. In fact winters in Hungary as a whole are fairly sharp, with minimums being known to fall to an achingly cold -29 ºC. In Budapest the winters can be piercing, but the relief is that they are relatively short and they do see the occasional bright sunny day. If visiting Budapest in the winter keep in mind that in the past, the thermometer has been known to plummet into the negative twenties; so ensure to pack a decent, warm winter coat and a pair of gloves!
December sees average daily temperatures of 1 ºC, a minimum of 2 ºC and an average maximum of 3 ºC. January sees the coldest temperatures, with an average of 2 ºC. Find out how the averages are calculated here. Historically January has seen Budapest reach painful lows of -23 ºC! Moving into February the city sees an average minimum of 2 ºC and an average maximum of 4 ºC. During this time there is frequent, yet light, snowfall which sees the city coated in a picturesque slight blanket of snow.
Summer weather in Budapest
The overall annual temperature of 9.7 ºC is fairly misleading, as summers in Budapest can get quite hot. Its location with the Alps to the west and an open great plain to the east mean that along with bitterly cold winters the city does experience hot summers that, unlike many nearby popular costal resorts- is not broken up by an evening Mediterranean sea breeze. In fact, when Budapest gets hot the spectacular and grand architecture soaks up the heat, meaning that even into the night the temperatures are still warm. Summer temperatures run from about April through until September, and in the height of summer the city basks in ten hours of sun daily. While July and August attract the greatest number of visitors to the city, the longer days mean that you can fit in a lot more sightseeing and do much of it once the harsh midday sun has weaned.
The advent of global warming (scientists claim) has seen Budapest experience quite extreme summers of late, summers which continue right through into the depths of September. June sees an average temperature of 19 ºC, with an average minimum of 14 ºC and a maximum of 24 ºC. July and August each see an average temperature of 21 ºC, with the record maximum falling in these months when the mercury rose to a maximum of 39 ºC. It should be kept in mind that even throughout summer it is possible to experience sudden showers, so be best equipped for this by carrying an umbrella with you or being prepared to make a dash from the rain.
Budapest is the host to the World Athletics Championship in August 2023 . See Budapest Forecast here
Autumn and Spring weather in Budapest
October sees a period which is known locally as the 'vénasszonyok nyara' which translates directly to mean 'old woman's summer,' also known as Indian summer. This is due to the continued sunny, clear days which are present throughout September and into October. September sees an average temperature of about 22 ºC, before falling to 16 ºC in October and falling again to 8 ºC by November. Early autumn is a great time to visit Budapest as the summer tourist peak has died down yet the weather is still very enjoyable and there is a still an abundance of sunny days.
Spring, like autumn, is also a great time to visit as the city has emerged from the winter frost and the tourists have only just begun to trickle in. Like any European city in spring, the trees have begun to bloom and the city is covered in a wealth of bright flowers and striking green grass. Grass covers Budapest in an array of different greens, a highlight of a city which sees mild rain all year round. Come spring time you will see the open grass areas filled with locals and tourists alike simply taking in the sunshine and making the most of this glorious, grand and intriguing city. If you do choose to visit in the spring time, it should be kept in mind that the weather in March and the beginning of April has been known to be somewhat unpredictable, so if you are not a fan of unpredictability then plan your Spring Vacation for the latter half of April and into May.