Cold air wave drives sharp temperature drops and storms across Central and Eastern Europe

A cold air mass advancing from northern Europe is expected to lower daytime temperatures by 4‑8 °C below normal in Hungary, Poland, Romania and the Balkan region, with some areas seeing values up to 8 °C lower than average. The front will bring strong winds, thunderstorms and heavy rain where the cold air meets lingering tropical warmth, offering only limited relief to the ongoing drought and fire risk.

Weather services in Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic forecast cooler days through mid‑week, followed by a brief return of typical summer heat later in the week. The Romanian meteorological institute (ANM) projects a brief cooling period before temperatures rise again to 30‑36 °C in August, while Hungarian forecasts anticipate daytime highs between 23‑31 °C and nighttime lows dropping to near 10 °C. Czech models also predict a temporary dip in summer temperatures, with an expected increase in rainfall but insufficient to fully alleviate deep‑soil dryness that persists in much of the country.

Meteorologists note an El Niño‑related jet‑stream shift that is enhancing the transport of moist, cooler air over the Atlantic and into Central Europe, accelerating the end of the recent heat spell. Although the western part of Europe will remain warm, the eastern half will experience the most pronounced cooling, with occasional heavy showers expected in Romania, Moldova and parts of the Balkans.