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Theclimate ofHungary is characterized by its position. Hungary is in the eastern part ofCentral Europe, roughlyequidistant from theEquator and theNorth Pole, more than 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) from both and about 1,000 kilometres from theAtlantic Ocean.

Its climate is the result of environmental changes during theHolocene Era and the result of the interaction of two majorclimate systems: thecontinental climate and theoceanic climate. The influence of both of these systems is felt across the country at different times, and the weather changes frequently. Hungary has atemperate seasonal climate.^[1][2]

In 2007, Hungary was ranked sixth in an environmental protection index by Globalwatch andClimate Action Network.^[3]

The climate of Hungary is influenced by its distance from the Atlantic and the prevailingwesterly winds. The continental character of the Hungarian climate is far from being as extreme as inEastern Europe. The following example can illustrate the degree of continentality: if the Atlantic coast is taken as zero andVerkhoyansk inSiberia as 100, thenSopron (Western Hungary),Putnok (Northern Hungary), andTótkomlós (South-Eastern Hungary) would be 27.3, 30.4 and 34, respectively.^{[citation needed]} The depressions of the temperate zone follow the path of the westerly winds and bring heavy rains to the country.

The country's situation within the geographical region of theCarpathian Basin is also important. The surrounding mountain ranges modify the impact of winds and other climatic forces progressing toward the country.

Hungary's climate is influenced by two more or less permanent action centres of the temperate zone, theIcelandic Low and theAzores High. Depressions originating from the Iceland zone travel across the country, bringing cool weather and rain. When the Azores high gains ascendancy, the weather is bright and dry, both winter and summer. Besides the permanent ones, there is an important seasonal action centre too, theSiberian High, which exerts its influence from time to time in winter, when the cold air masses over Siberia and Eastern Europe are driven across the Carpathian mountains and settle for some time over the Carpathian Basin.

From north to south, Hungary differs by only about 3 degrees oflatitude. Theseasonal variance in theangle of incidence of theSun's rays is, therefore, about 3°. The annual total insolation of the surface of the country varies between 80 and 110 kcal/cm² (330 and 460 kJ/cm²; 520 and 710 kcal/sq in).

The seasonal distribution of sunshine varies between 70 kcal/cm² (290 kJ/cm²; 450 kcal/sq in)^{[clarification needed]} in summer and 20 kcal/cm² (84 kJ/cm²; 130 kcal/sq in)^{[clarification needed]} in winter.

It varies a little bylongitude, from 60 to 70 kcal/cm² (250 to 290 kJ/cm²; 390 to 450 kcal/sq in)^{[clarification needed]} in the west to 100 to 110 kcal/cm² (420 to 460 kJ/cm²; 650 to 710 kcal/sq in)^{[clarification needed]} in the south-east.

The average hours of sunshine vary between 1,700 and 2,100 a year (atSopron, 1,700 hours, inSzeged, 2,068 hours). The maxima at both are in July.

The annual average of completely overcast days varies between 70 and 190. The actual hours of sunshine – that is,any sunshine on a day – reaches almost half of that possible – 46%. (London, by comparison, has about 33 percent a year).

Even in Hungary, the temperature is warmer than, for example, neighbouringAustria because of the south flow over the Alps of theGulf Stream. This aberration or anomaly can be as much as 2.5 °C (4.5 °F). Towards the east, this gradually diminishes.

The average temperature in Hungary is 8 to 11 °C (46 to 52 °F). The difference between the north and the south is only 3 °C (5.4 °F) because of the relatively small distance between the south and north. For instance, the mean temperature inSouthern England,Massif Central in France, andSwitzerland is the same, but in Hungary, there are much greater extremes from summer to winter.

The highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Hungary was 41.9 °C (107.4 °F) atKiskunhalas on 20 July 2007.^[4] The lowest temperature to have ever been recorded in Hungary was −35.0 °C (−31.0 °F) atGörömbölytapolca on 16 February 1940.^[4]

The heat total during Hungary'sgrowing season rises above 3,000 °C (5,430 °F) over much of the country, which is very favorable toagriculture in Hungary, but frosts in May can present a serious hazard to crops.

The soil surface fluctuates between even wider extremes, with potential to exceed 100 °C (212 °F) in its annual temperature range. 20 metres (66 ft) below the surface, this fluctuation ceases, and the temperature is constant at 11 °C (52 °F). The average depth of surface frosts is 25 to 35 centimetres (9.8 to 13.8 in).

Budapest lies on the boundary betweenhardiness zones 6 and 7.^[5][6]

The wind exerts a strong influence on the other climatic elements by its velocity, direction, and ability to mobilize the air masses. At an altitude independent of the relief effect, about 4,000 m, westerly currents predominate over the country. Closer to the surface, over the greater part of the country, north-westerly winds predominate, but east of theTisza River, northerly winds prevail. As regards wind velocity, the mean annual value varies between 1,5 and 2,5 on theBeaufort scale (2 and 3" 5 m/s)^{[clarification needed]} over the whole country. The changes in atmospheric pressure are not very significant.

The averageannual precipitation across the country is 600 millimetres (24 in). The driest parts of the country are in the east, where, for example, in theHortobágy, the annual precipitation remains below 500 millimetres (20 in). The maximum of rain, nearly 1,000 millimetres (39 in), falls at Hungary's western borders.

As is characteristic of the continental climate, the most precipitation occurs in late spring and early summer. In the southwestern region, a second maximum occurs during October under the influences of the Mediterranean climate.

The number of rainy days is over 100 in the southwestern borderland, as well as in the area of theMátra andBükk mountains, but less than 80 along the middle section of the riverTisza. Low precipitation, heat, and strong evaporation make theGreat Hungarian Plain very dusty in summer.

Thunderstorms and gales are common, particularly in the summer months. In winter, from the end of November to the beginning of March, precipitation falls partly in the form of snow. The snow cover varies considerably. The thinnest snow cover is found in the eastern region of the Great Plain (with the annual average being 4 centimetres (1.6 in)). Often,winter corn remains open to the elements when farmers do not expect anyhard frost.

In Hungary, the airhumidity is higher in summer than in winter. The annual average water vapor content is 7.4 g/m³ (0.0074 oz/cu ft) at ahydrostatic pressure of 7.3 millimetres (0.29 in). The highest relative water vapor content (over 75%) is found in the western borderland.

The surface of the country and thehydrology of Hungary also affect the climate. Their general influence on themacroclimate is negligible, but they affect the meso- andmicroclimates. A good example is the microclimate of the surroundings of the Great Lakes, especially that ofLake Balaton. But bare sandy surfaces, hills (ofcalcium carbonate such asdolomite) such as the hills surroundingBuda, and even the kind of vegetation also have an influence on the meso- and microclimates.

Therelief energy of Hungary, that is, the differences in altitude in the country (in other words, itshydroelectric potential), is relatively small. Still, the 400 to 900 metres (1,300 to 3,000 ft) difference in altitude between theGreat Hungarian Plain and the shallow northern mountain ranges is enough to produce clear differences in the climates of the two areas.

• Ferenc Erdei, ed. (1968),Information Hungary, Pergamon Press, pp. 12–14

• Climate of Hungary
• Climate by country

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