Climate and Drainage

Abstract

Located in mid-latitude eastern Central Europe, Hungary has a moderately humid continental climate and, due to its situation in the Carpathian Basin, the basin effect is also observable. Regarding average conditions, the climate is rather humid than arid, water availability, however, is a decisive component of the climatic system and in most parts of the country drought is a recurring phenomenon. Since year-to-year or season-to-season variability is more remarkable than regional variations, long-term average values are not really informative as far as the climatic properties of individual regions are concerned. Warming and drying trends are predicted for the 21st century. The drainage system, developed since the Pliocene, is adjusted to two hydrographical axes: the Danube and the Tisza Rivers within the drainage area of the Danube. The water regimes of these rivers and their major tributaries depend upon the runoff conditions of their drainage basins: for the Danube first of all the Eastern Alps and for the Tisza River the Northeastern and Eastern Carpathians. The largest and best studied lake of Central Europe is the shallow Balaton. The single extensive reservoir was impounded on the Tisza River at Kisköre, mainly for irrigation purposes. As far as the groundwater resource is concerned, thermal, medicinal and mineral water reserves are particularly appreciated.