Water temperature in Hungary

Lake Balaton, the Tisza and beyond

Hungary has no coastline, so swimming happens in Lake Balaton, in rivers and in thermal lakes. Balaton is large and shallow, warms up quickly in early summer and reaches its highest values in July and August. Because it is so shallow, it reacts strongly to wind and sudden changes in the weather. The Tisza and its tributaries, among them the Körös, Bodrog, Sajó, Maros and Szamos, shape the east of the country. They grow warm in high summer, and the Tisza is lined with river beaches.

All 53 sites come from OVF, Hungary's General Directorate of Water Management, whose measurements are published on vizugy.hu. Most of them are on rivers, especially in the Tisza basin, with lakes represented by a few points including Balaton. The values are measured rather than modelled. Coverage of the Danube and of many swimming lakes is still patchy in this dataset.

Health authorities test bathing waters during the season and rate them from excellent to poor under the EU Bathing Water Directive. Around Lake Balaton, flashing yellow lights along the shore warn of rising wind, and when they flash rapidly, swimming beyond the shore zone is not allowed. Thunderstorms can build over the lake with little warning. In rivers such as the Tisza, current and changing water levels need attention, especially after rain upstream.