How to prepare for autumn in Hungary

What??? Yes, it's almost here! Both autumn and the start of the new academic year. Although today is still only the last day of August and the weather doesn't really show signs of turning colder, we can't really push the idea of going back to school entirely out of our head. Here's a handy guide of what you can expect in Hungary in the autumn.

About the weather

As you might already know, Hungary has four distinct seasons. According to astronomers, autumn officially starts at the time of the autumn equinox, on the 22nd of September, however, you might notice changes in the weather even sooner than that.

Hungary has humid continental climate, which means very hot summers and freezing winters. Although we fall into the cool summer sub-type of the continental climate, you could feel how scorching our summers can be. We like extremes. Spring and autumn are somewhere in-between regarding temperature, but they have lots of rain and often frost in the mornings.

In the coming weeks, you'll experience a slight cooling ofday temperatures with short showers and sometimes wind. You can expect anything between 18°C and the low 20s. During the night, temperatures will go under 15°C, so you'll have to carry a jacket with you if you go out.

The beginning of September is usually still warm, however, and we also have what we call "Indian summer" or "Old women's summer", which means an unseasonably warm and dry period during the autumn.

What to wear?

Try to keep in mind that the weather might change quickly. Wear layers so that you won't feel cold in the brisk mornings, and so you can take some layers off when it's warmer in the early afternoon. Cardigans, shawls, and light jackets do the work just fine.

Buy an umbrella or a raincoat. Quick showers are fun in the summer, but not when you are soaked on your way to the university. A small foldable umbrella or a rain poncho that fits in your bag is a good solution for humidity, and you don't have to remember every morning to pack it.

A lot of people buy rain boots or wellingtons for the rainy months. Although we have a good amount of rain, streets usually don't get flooded, so technically, you can do without them just fine. Make sure, however, that your shoes are waterproof, otherwise you are in for a bad case of cold and wet toes.

What to do?

Traditionally, September is the start of the school frenzy. Meeting new people, looking for textbooks, and discovering the campus and the nearby area usually fill up the first few weeks quickly. You won't even notice how quickly time passes in the beginning of the semester!

If you get bored with thinking about school all the time, here's a couple of things to try and liven up your autumn:

Here's a couple of events you might find interesting:

Vingardium Vine Festival: Sept 1-3 Budapest
26th Budapest Vine Festival: Sept 7-10 Budapest
1st National Sloth Meetup: Sept 2 Budapest
13th Fehérvár Lecsó Festival: Sept 16 Székesfehérvár
Autumn Gastronomy Festival: Sept 22-24 Budapest
Jewish Cultural Festival: Sept 3-14 Budapest
Liquid Love - Harvest at Badacsony: Sept 8-10 Badacsonytomaj
Győr Pálinka Festival: Sept 15-17 Győr