Hungary Endures Its Most Severe Drought in 126 Years

Hungary’s 2026 weather record shows the nation confronting its most severe drought in 126 years, as identified by the national weather service HungaroMet. Between 1 April and 2 September, at least 30 % of the country experienced moderate or more severe drought conditions for roughly 84 % of that period. A heatwave in June, followed by additional hot spells in July and August, intensified the dryness after a winter with below-average rainfall.

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HungaroMet’s summer analysis reports an average rainfall of 74.1 mm, representing only 36 % of the 1991-2020 mean. The seasonal mean temperature reached 23.43 °C, 2.59 °C above the long-term norm of 20.84 °C. April rainfall fell to just 10 % of typical levels, and by late June soil moisture deficits exceeded 100 mm in the top metre of soil. These conditions sharply increased evaporation losses, driving soil moisture to critically low levels.

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The drought produced the driest summer since 1901 and the second hottest on record. By the end of August, agricultural drought had escalated to severe levels across half the country. Record low water levels were observed on the Danube, and groundwater in Hungary is estimated to sit 1.4-1.7 m below the depth considered ideal. A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report highlights that Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungary, are among the regions most affected by ongoing groundwater shortages.

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HungaroMet attributes the 2026 drought to prolonged weather patterns that disrupted the water cycle, noting that the combination of scarce rainfall and unusually high temperatures amplified evaporation and depleted soil moisture. The agency cautions that even a wetter autumn is unlikely to resolve the water shortage without sustained precipitation. The WMO similarly warns that groundwater levels continue to fall, suggesting that the drought’s effects may persist into the next growing season unless significant climatic shifts occur.

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