The new year will begin with cold weather and precipitation mainly affecting the southern part of the country, HungaroMet Zrt. wrote in its agrometeorological analysis published on Wednesday.
They reported that from last Tuesday to Thursday, 5–20 millimetres of precipitation fell in several areas of the western and southwestern third of the country, part of which fell as snow. In contrast, the northeastern third of the country received no precipitation at all or less than 1 millimetre.
December precipitation totals were below the multi-year average nationwide. Across much of the Great Plain, only the near-surface soil layers contain a significant amount of moisture, while the moisture content of the middle and deeper soil layers still does not reach 50 percent of the water available for plant use. In Transdanubia and in the Northern Mid-Mountains region, the upper half metre of soil contains ample moisture, but layers deeper than half a metre have only been replenished in small areas along the northern and southwestern borders.
Temperatures have dropped significantly compared to the period before Christmas, but still remained around or slightly above the long-term average. In recent days, the daily mean temperature was 1–2 degrees Celsius below freezing in southwestern areas and in the eastern and northeastern third of the country, while elsewhere it was about the same amount above freezing. At night, temperatures fell below freezing nationwide, locally cooling to between minus 5 and minus 10 degrees Celsius, while daytime temperatures rose above freezing, with readings above 5 degrees Celsius in several places. The top 5–10 centimetres of soil have already frozen in some areas.
Plants currently find sufficient moisture in the soil; however, on the Great Plain the deeper soil layers remain dry, where substantial precipitation—primarily snowfall—would be needed.
According to the forecast, the new year will start with cold and, mainly in the southern part of the country, wet weather. By Sunday, 5–15 millimetres of precipitation is expected in southern regions, with less elsewhere. Initially, sleet is likely, followed by snowfall, and snow is also expected in the southern and eastern parts of the country during the first half of next week. Winds will remain strong. Especially on the Great Plain, nights on Friday and Saturday will be frost-free, while daytime temperatures will rise to between 1 and 6 degrees Celsius. On other nights, however, temperatures will fall below freezing nationwide—dropping below minus 5 degrees Celsius mainly in the north—and from Sunday onwards, daytime temperatures are expected to remain around or slightly below freezing.
(MTI)
