Record high temperatures have hit Hungary and it wreaking havoc on nature as well as farmers, writes Magyar Nemzet.
Various portals have been busy talking about the arrival of spring across Hungary, posting photos of budding bushes, flowers, and even butterflies. According to András Oláh, president of the Green Island Circle, seeing a butterfly in January here is extremely rare, but not completely impossible.
“If the weather is unusually mild and the temperature rises above 10 degrees (50° F), these butterflies may sometimes emerge from their wintering grounds,” he tells the paper, adding that he has also seen far more other insects than usual, including many ladybugs and beetles.
“However, if a sudden frost were to come at night, those beetles that did not take shelter would die by evening,” Oláh says
Record highs for January are being hit. One site, Koponyeg, predicted temperatures in the southwestern regions of Hungary would hit 68° F, close to 21 degrees Celsius, and then subside slightly in the second half of the week.
However, the portal says the consequences of a frost hitting budding plants could be severe.
“Due to the unusual heat, signs of bud bursting can already be observed on some plants, which could have serious consequences. If stronger frosts arrive again in the coming weeks – which is quite common at the end of January or beginning of February – the buds could be damaged, which would also endanger the later harvest. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is becoming more and more common, which could pose a serious problem for both fruit growers and natural wildlife,” Koponyeg writes.
Yet another consequence of such unseasonal weather has been the closure of ice rinks on the southern shore of Lake Balaton. One operator says the rink in Balatonlelle should be able to reopen on Feb. 1 for the Gastro Carnival on Napfény beach, which is also supposed to feature an “ice disco.”
