Last month was also very dry, the seventh driest July since beginning of the 20th century.Continue reading
From Wednesday to Sunday, a third-degree heat alert is in force, according to the website of the National Directorate General for Disaster Management. Based on the forecast of HungaroMet, the Hungarian meteorological service, the national chief medical officer has raised the previously ordered heat alert for the whole country to third degree from 12 a.m. on Wednesday and extends it until 11.59 p.m. on Sunday.
The continuous heat increases the strain on the body, and the body’s ability to regulate heat is influenced by age, weight, physical fitness, health, diet and medication. It is therefore important to be as careful as possible on warmer than average days, the website reads. Extra care is needed for young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with cardiovascular disease, and pets should also be looked after. It is strongly recommended to drink more fluids, especially water, during hot weather. Even the passenger compartment of a vehicle parked in partial shade can become dangerously hot in a short time.
Drivers are urged to be particularly careful as they may also be affected by the heat. People on holiday by the water should avoid sunbathing at midday, cool off before going into the water and avoid jumping into the water with a hot body. A list of air-conditioned public places that anyone can use is available on the emergency services website.
A fire ban is in force throughout the country, which means that it is forbidden to light fires in forests and within 200 meters of them.
Due to the third-degree heat alert, bottled water will be distributed to passengers of the MÁV-VOLÁN group from Wednesday to Sunday. The MÁV-START railway company will distribute bottled water daily between 10 a.mm and 5 p.m. at the platforms in the main stations in Budapest and at the passenger centers and customer services in the larger rural stations.
Photo: Facebook/MÁV
The Volánbusz bus company provides mineral water to passengers at the Budapest Népliget bus station and at busy bus stations in the county seats between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays. MÁV-HÉV is also joining the water distribution: on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons, refreshments will be distributed at the four main HÉV terminals.
This summer has been a record hot one so far.
As reported by Hungary Today, this July was the hottest since 1901. In addition to the persistent hot weather, last month was also very dry, the seventh driest July since the beginning of the 20th century on a national average.
Moreover, this year saw the seventh hottest June since the beginning of the 20th century. The HungaroMet’s analysis also shows that this year had the warmest first half since 1901.
Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás
According to preliminary data, the daily heat record was broken on Tuesday: the temperature in Kelebia, southern Hungary, was 40.7 degrees Celsius in the afternoon on Tuesday, reads the HungaroMet’s Facebook page. The previous record for this day, 39.8 degrees Celsius, was set in Kaposvár (southwestern Hungary) in 1946. Given the heat alert from Wednesday, it is not excluded that new record temperatures will be broken.
Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Siófok Guide