Rainy, wintry weather is expected over the weekend: large areas should prepare for snow, sleet, and rain, while strong to occasionally gale-force winds on Friday may cause drifting snow, especially in western parts of the country. Hard nighttime frosts will return: in clear, calm, snow-covered areas of Transdanubia, temperatures could drop below –15°C early Saturday. A gradual warming trend is expected from Sunday, with afternoon highs in southern regions reaching up to +10°C, according to the forecast of HungaroMet Nonprofit Ltd.
On Friday, skies will be mostly overcast, with cloud cover breaking up in the northwest and north by evening. Precipitation is expected across nearly the entire country. The boundary between rain and snow will gradually shift southeastward, bringing snowfall to increasingly large areas, although rain may still fall in the southeastern “Viharsarok” region even in the evening. Late afternoon and evening may also see temporary freezing rain along the Tisza River and in areas east of it. From the afternoon onward, precipitation will begin to ease from the northwest and north.
Northerly and northeasterly winds will be strong over large areas and gale-force in parts of Western Transdanubia and the northeast, leading to drifting snow, and in the west even significant snowdrifts. Daytime highs will range between –2°C and +7°C, with colder conditions in the northwest and northeast. The highest temperatures are likely in the morning or late morning, followed by a general cooling during the day.
On Saturday, the thick, continuous cloud cover will only slowly move out toward the east and southeast, while new cloud formation is expected from the west. On the Great Plain, further mixed precipitation is likely, followed by light snow or minor snowfall. Meanwhile, the likelihood of mixed precipitation will also increase from the west and northwest. Northerly winds may remain brisk with occasional strong gusts until morning, then ease everywhere and gradually turn southerly.
Nighttime lows on Saturday are expected to range between –12°C and –1°C, although it may be milder on the Great Plain. In clear, calm, snow-covered parts of Transdanubia, temperatures could drop significantly lower, even below –15°C. Afternoon temperatures will range between –2°C and +5°C, with freezing conditions possible throughout the day in persistently cloudy and snowy areas.
On Sunday, skies will be mostly heavily clouded or overcast, with only temporary breaks in cloud cover in some places. Further precipitation is likely, initially light snow or mixed precipitation, which may gradually turn to rain over increasingly large areas from the west. Southerly to southwesterly, later westerly winds will generally remain moderate.
Early Sunday temperatures are expected to range between –3°C and +3°C, though snow-covered areas with temporary clear spells may experience several degrees colder conditions. Afternoon highs will likely range between 0°C and +10°C, with lower values in the northeast and higher readings in the south and southwest.
(MTI)
