Select units of measurement for the temperature and rainfall tables (metric or imperial).
Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours
The climate of Budapest is
continental, with cold winters and warm summers.
The city is the capital of Hungary and is located in the north of the country, 35 km (20 mi) away from the border with Slovakia. The Danube River cuts the city in two at an altitude of 100 meters (330 feet), but while the east part (Pest) is flat, the west part (Buda) climbs hills that exceed 300 meters (1,000 feet). The highest point, the János Hill, reaches 527 meters (1,729 feet).
At Ferihegy Airport, the average
temperature ranges from -0.5 °C (31 °F) in January to 21.5 °C (70.5 °F) in July.
Precipitation is not abundant, in fact, it amounts to 525 millimeters (20.7 inches) per year, although it's fairly well distributed over the seasons. However, there is a maximum in late spring and early summer (from May to July) due to afternoon thunderstorms.
Winter, from December to February, is cold, with average temperatures around freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) or slightly below. Cold air often stagnates on the ground, bringing cold and gray weather, with mist and fog; snowfall is quite frequent, but generally not abundant.
On some occasions, however, cold air masses from Russia invade the Hungarian Plain, bringing strong winds at the beginning and then intense frosts. The coldest record is -27 °C (-16.6 °F) and was set in January 1987.
In
spring, different situations occur: the average temperature rises quickly, and already in March, the first pleasant days may occur, but the return of wintry weather is also possible, with snow and frost in March and more rarely in April. The clash between different air masses can generate intense winds.
In the second half of April, the temperature can already exceed 20 °C (68 °F), and in May, the first hot days can occur, with peaks around 30 °C (86 °F). However, in other situations, it can still be cold in the first half of May, and more rarely in the second, at least at night. By May, thunderstorms begin to erupt in the afternoon.
Summer, from June to August, is warm and sunny. In fine weather, afternoon thunderstorms can occur.
Sometimes, Atlantic weather fronts can still affect this area, bringing cool and rainy weather.
At other times, there may be heat waves, most likely in July and August, during which the maximum temperature can reach and exceed 35 °C (95 °F). The highest record is 40 °C (104 °F) and was set in July 2007.
Autumn is initially a mild and pleasant season in September, when, however, it sometimes begins to get a little cold at night, then, by October, the temperature decreases rapidly, and cloudiness and rain become more frequent. November is a cold and gray month, and in the course of the month, the first snowfalls may occur.
The amount of
sunshine in Budapest is good in May and in summer, while it's poor or mediocre from November to February, when gray skies predominate. On average, there are 2,130 hours of sunshine per year.
The
latitude of Budapest (47°30'N) is more or less the same as Seattle, therefore in the north of the United States.
On June 21, the longest day of the year, the sun rises at 4:46 am and sets at 8:44 pm. On August 15, the sun rises at 5:40 am and sets at 7:55 pm. On December 21, the shortest day of the year, the sun rises at 7:28 am and sets at 3:55 pm.
Best Time
In order to avoid both the winter cold and the summer heat, the
best times to visit Budapest are spring and autumn, and in particular, the months of May, June and September: daytime temperatures are pleasant, although it's better to bring a sweater and a jacket for the evening. In July and August, the temperature is usually not too hot, however, there is the risk of some very hot days, which can happen, though more rarely, also in the second half of June and in the first half of September.
Budapest - Climate data
In Budapest, the
average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of
-0.6 °C, that of the warmest month (July) is of
21.4 °C. Here are the average temperatures.
Budapest - Average temperatures (1991-2020) |
| Month | Min | Max | Mean |
|---|
| January | -4 | 2.8 | -0.6 |
|---|
| February | -3.2 | 5.5 | 1.2 |
|---|
| March | 0.4 | 10.8 | 5.6 |
|---|
| April | 4.9 | 17.2 | 11.1 |
|---|
| May | 9.6 | 21.9 | 15.7 |
|---|
| June | 13.5 | 25.6 | 19.5 |
|---|
| July | 15.2 | 27.6 | 21.4 |
|---|
| August | 14.9 | 27.7 | 21.3 |
|---|
| September | 10.5 | 22 | 16.2 |
|---|
| October | 5.5 | 16 | 10.7 |
|---|
| November | 1.7 | 9.1 | 5.4 |
|---|
| December | -2.7 | 3.3 | 0.3 |
|---|
| Year | 5.6 | 15.8 | 10.7 |
|---|
amounts to
525 millimeters per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from
30 millimeters in the driest months (February, March) to
60 millimeters in the wettest one (June). Here is the average precipitation.
Budapest - Average precipitation| Month | Days |
|---|
| January | 35 | 6 |
|---|
| February | 30 | 6 |
|---|
| March | 30 | 6 |
|---|
| April | 35 | 6 |
|---|
| May | 55 | 8 |
|---|
| June | 60 | 7 |
|---|
| July | 55 | 6 |
|---|
| August | 50 | 6 |
|---|
| September | 45 | 6 |
|---|
| October | 45 | 6 |
|---|
| November | 45 | 7 |
|---|
| December | 40 | 7 |
|---|
| Year | 525 | 75 |
|---|
There are on average around 2130
sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.
Budapest - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
|---|
| January | 2.5 | 75 |
|---|
| February | 3.5 | 95 |
|---|
| March | 5 | 150 |
|---|
| April | 7 | 210 |
|---|
| May | 8.5 | 265 |
|---|
| June | 9 | 275 |
|---|
| July | 9.5 | 290 |
|---|
| August | 9 | 280 |
|---|
| September | 6.5 | 195 |
|---|
| October | 5 | 150 |
|---|
| November | 3 | 85 |
|---|
| December | 2 | 60 |
|---|
| Year | 5.8 | 2130 |
|---|
Budapest - Weather by month
Based on the period 1991-2020
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-0.6 °C, with a minimum of
-4 °C and a maximum of
2.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-13 °C. However, it dropped to
-22 °C in January 2017.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
11 °C. However, it reached
18 °C in January 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
35 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 27% of the time.
The average humidity is 86%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.9 kph.
February is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
1.2 °C, with a minimum of
-3.2 °C and a maximum of
5.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-12 °C. However, it dropped to
-23 °C in February 2012.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
13.5 °C. However, it reached
19 °C in February 1998.
Precipitation amounts to
30 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 20 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 33% of the time.
The average humidity is 80%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
12.2 kph.
March is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.6 °C, with a minimum of
0.4 °C and a maximum of
10.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-7 °C. However, it dropped to
-16 °C in March 2005.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
19.5 °C. However, it reached
23 °C in March 2017.
Precipitation amounts to
30 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 41% of the time.
The average humidity is 70%.
The average wind speed is of
13.5 kph.
April is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11.1 °C, with a minimum of
4.9 °C and a maximum of
17.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2 °C. However, it dropped to
-8 °C in April 2020.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
25 °C. However, it reached
30 °C in April 2012.
Precipitation amounts to
35 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 51% of the time.
The average humidity is 63%.
The average wind speed is of
13.4 kph.
May is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
15.7 °C, with a minimum of
9.6 °C and a maximum of
21.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3 °C. However, it dropped to
-1 °C in May 2011.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
29 °C. However, it reached
33 °C in May 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
55 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 56% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
12.4 kph.
June is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
19.5 °C, with a minimum of
13.5 °C and a maximum of
25.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
7.5 °C. However, it dropped to
5 °C in June 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
33 °C. However, it reached
36 °C in June 2000.
Precipitation amounts to
60 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 55 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 57% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
11.9 kph.
July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
21.4 °C, with a minimum of
15.2 °C and a maximum of
27.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
9.5 °C. However, it dropped to
5 °C in July 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34.5 °C. However, it reached
40 °C in July 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
55 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 60% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is of
11.9 kph.
August is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
21.3 °C, with a minimum of
14.9 °C and a maximum of
27.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
8.5 °C. However, it dropped to
6 °C in August 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34 °C. However, it reached
39 °C in August 2015.
Precipitation amounts to
50 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 64% of the time.
The average humidity is 65%.
The average wind speed is of
10.2 kph.
September is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
16.2 °C, with a minimum of
10.5 °C and a maximum of
22 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
4 °C. However, it dropped to
1 °C in September 2018.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
29 °C. However, it reached
34 °C in September 2008.
Precipitation amounts to
45 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 52% of the time.
The average humidity is 70%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.9 kph.
October is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10.7 °C, with a minimum of
5.5 °C and a maximum of
16 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-10 °C in October 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
24 °C. However, it reached
28 °C in October 2011.
Precipitation amounts to
45 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 44% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.3 kph.
November is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.4 °C, with a minimum of
1.7 °C and a maximum of
9.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-6.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-13 °C in November 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
17.5 °C. However, it reached
21 °C in November 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
45 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 20 minutes.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 31% of the time.
The average humidity is 85%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
11 kph.
December is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
0.3 °C, with a minimum of
-2.7 °C and a maximum of
3.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-12 °C. However, it dropped to
-20 °C in December 2009.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
11 °C. However, it reached
17 °C in December 2019.
Precipitation amounts to
40 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 30 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 2 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 24% of the time.
The average humidity is 88%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.6 kph.