Climate zones in Hungary, 1991 to 2020
Share of Hungary's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 159,194 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 92,931 km²).
By major group: D (cold (continental)) 51%, C (temperate) 49%.
Hungary has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Cfa (humid subtropical), covers only 42% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Dfa (32%) and Dfb (20%). 4 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, humid subtropical means hot, humid summers and mild winters, with rain all year. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 58% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Cfa (humid subtropical).
How Hungary's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 80% | 49% | Cfa +42.1 percentage points | Dfb -80.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 56% | 49% | Cfa +55.2 percentage points | Dfa -31.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 58% | 51% | Cfa +57.6 percentage points | Dfa -31.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 58% | 51% | Cfa +57.9 percentage points | Dfa -31.7 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cfa Humid subtropical | - | 42% | 97% | 100% | 100% |
| Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | - | 32% | 0.4% | - | - |
| Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | 100% | 20% | 2.2% | 0.3% | - |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | - | 6.6% | 0.2% | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Hungary and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Budapest | Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | Cfa Humid subtropical |
| Pest | Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | Cfa Humid subtropical |
Zones found in Hungary
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Dfb. See data sources and licences.