Carpathian Basin faces rising temperatures and extreme climate shifts

The Carpathian Basin is facing significant climatic shifts, characterized by rising temperatures and extreme weather patterns. Experts warn that the region's geography, which once offered protection from cold air, may now act as a "superheating cauldron" due to intensifying Mediterranean and oceanic influences.

Climate Policy Institute analyst Erik Kovács notes that while global temperatures are expected to rise by 2.8-3.5°C by the end of the century, the Carpathian Basin could see an increase of 5-6°C. In parts of the Great Hungarian Plain, summer temperatures of 40-45°C could become the new normal by the second half of the century.

Historical data from 1928 illustrates previous extreme heatwaves in the region, such as in Subotica, where temperatures reached 51°C in direct sunlight and 40°C in the shade. Modern challenges include increasingly extreme precipitation distribution and persistent droughts, requiring strategies like improved soil quality for water retention and the implementation of "sponge city" concepts to manage urban runoff.