3rd September 2026 – (Budapest) Hungary has experienced its hottest August since official records began in 1901, as confirmed by the national meteorological service HungaroMet. The average temperature across the country last month was measured at 24.9 degrees Celsius, which is notably 3.7 degrees higher than the August average for the period from 1991 to 2020, which stood at 21.2 degrees Celsius. This has made August 2026 not only the hottest on record for the month but also the warmest single month ever observed in Hungary’s climate history.
These unprecedented temperatures were accompanied by extremely dry weather. According to preliminary data from the meteorological service, the national average rainfall amounted to just 15.6 millimetres, a substantial shortfall compared to the average of 59.5 millimetres typically recorded in August between 1991 and 2020. This lack of rainfall rendered August the fourth-driest since 1901.
The persistent drought has placed considerable strain on Hungarian agriculture. Figures published by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office indicate that the value added by the sector dropped by 12.4 per cent in the second quarter compared with the previous year, a decline attributed to the exceptionally dry conditions. The water shortage also had a notable impact on energy production. Early in August, decreased water levels in the Danube River resulted in reduced output at the Paks nuclear power plant, with three of the facility’s four reactors temporarily shut down. In response, the government invoked emergency measures to raise water levels in the vicinity and ensure the continued supply of cooling water for the plant.