Hungary’s disaster management authority said firefighters were called out to 413 incidents requiring firefighting or technical rescue between 4am on Wednesday and 4am on Thursday, roughly double the number recorded on an average January day.

A total of 676 professional firefighters took part in the operations, using 150 vehicles and other pieces of equipment. Their work was supported by 31 municipal fire brigades, volunteer firefighter associations and rescue organizations, contributing an additional 219 personnel and 61 vehicles.

Despite the extreme weather, authorities reported that no settlements were cut off. On the national road network, however, 27 extraordinary incidents required traffic diversions. In some areas, roads were temporarily closed due to snowdrifts, while elsewhere vehicles skidded across icy surfaces or accidents made certain road sections impassable for a time.

According to the statement, the heaviest snowfall in the coming hours is expected in Szabolcs–Szatmár–Bereg county, although snowfall is forecast to ease by late morning. Early on Thursday, strong and occasionally gusty winds are still expected in north-western Hungary and the northeast, accompanied by light snowdrifts. In north-eastern regions, low snowbanks may form.

In the Bodrogköz area, wind gusts of up to 60 kilometres per hour are possible until midday, which could locally cause severe drifting and the buildup of higher snowbanks.

Looking ahead, temperatures are expected to drop sharply by Friday morning. In south-western border regions and areas east of the Danube, temperatures could fall below minus 15 degrees Celsius, particularly in valleys of the Northern Hungarian Mountains and sandy regions. In parts of the Great Plain and elsewhere, temperatures close to minus 20 degrees Celsius are also possible.

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