5 Reasons why I love Budapest (PART 3): Climate

One thing that I love about living in Budapest is the climate. I have an asthma and it usually triggers on hot climate, like the country I grew up in - the Philippines! My asthma has long been gone (I hope) since the autumn started. A friend, Judit, advised me to open the window and poke out my head, or even go out to the balcony and breath in some fresh cool air if I feel that my asthma may trigger. I tried it the day after she told me that and surprisingly it's effective! I do this everytime when I feel tightness in my chest and hear it wheeze. Now that spring has come, I got worried that my asthma might come back to visit me, but surprisingly it did not miss me. I even jogged without inhaling my seretide - which I usually do back home. I just hope that it will not come back on summer time.

Now, enough of my asthma story and let's move on! :p God has gifted Budapest with warm summers and cold winters, with plenty of rain all year round. The four seasons differ substantially in their temperature extremes, and even daily changes can sometimes be dramatic. No matter how dramatic it is, I still take pleasure with the weather here. 

The climate of Budapest is temperate and transitional — somewhere between the mild, rainy weather of Transdanubia, the variable continental climate of the flat and open Great Plain to the east and the almost sub-Mediterranean weather of the south. Budapest has four distinct seasons with great variability within the seasons. - source: www.wikipedia.org

Going up to Gellert Hill

Autumn/Fall

Autumn is cool, foggy and rainy. Nights get colder on October and November; the weather falls from 20°C to 10°C. Leaves and flowers are already falling. This is the best time to visit Budapest if you want to avoid the crowd. :p

What to wear: You can wear lighter or thicker coats, cardigans, ankle boots, and light scarfs. Cardigans, skinny jeans and leather jackets are cute too.:)

Me and Mr. Snowman

Winter

The average temperature in Budapest during winter is ranging from -15°C to -5°C. Its gloomy aura is caused by cold, windy, gray, rainy and snowy weather. It is really freezing cold, especially for me who spent 27 years of my life in a hot climate. 

Winter was the one thing I was really excited  being here. I kept on checking in the BBC Weather forecast as to when will the snow fall. I've waited for weeks in December and January, unfortunately, the snow never came as I've expected. Friends even joked that I jinxed it since the last winter came earlier in November. 

The snow came on mid February. It was the first time I have ever experienced this cold, white, wet marvel we call snow. At first, I thought they were just feathers falling from our neighbor's balcony, thinking that she was only dusting off her mattress and the feathers were just falling down. But when I caught one drop on my hand, it liquefied. Alas! Snow has finally arrived. I got so thrilled and excited about playing in the snow that I forgot to put my gloves on while playing a ball of snow with my hand. It was burning cold, I could feel it through my veins. I enjoyed it though since it's my first time. Just so you know, you have to make sure that you have a very good lighting condition in your house since the sun sets at 4:00 pm.

What to wear: It is very important to wear something that can make you warm, unless you want to catch colds and get sick. You should wear thick hats, gloves or mittens (warmer than gloves), woolly scarves, ear muffs, tights, high boots, warmers, thick coats, 120-den stockings and thick socks.

Took this photo while jogging in Városliget

                                                                                      Spring

As the month of March arrives. the snow recedes and the warmth of the Mediterranean pushes northwards to Hungary. The average temperature in the second half of April and in May days rises up to 20°C to 25°. Spring is a wonderful time of year in Budapest. After the bleak winter, the trees come back to life, the flowers are in bloom all over the city and people start to flock to the streets on sunny days which makes the entire city alive. 

What to wear: Since the weather is getting warmer, you can now wear your favorite summer dress, chunky warm scarves, cardigans, leather jacket, ankle boots, shoes of your choice and 40-60-den stockings.

Margaret Island

Summer

Just like any other country, summer is the most awaited season of the year in Budapest. The average temperature can go over 25°C-35°C which leaves the country hot and dry. There are a lot of outdoor activities for people of all ages to enjoy. If you are asthmatic, like me, make sure that you bring water and inhaler with you.

What to wear: You should wear very light clothes so that you won't get drenched on your own sweat. :p You can wear whatever apparel you like as long as you are comfortable with it.