The historic snowstorm of January 1987.
“If you can, do not set out on a journey, because no one can guarantee your arrival!” This warning, broadcast on Hungarian Television in January 1987, did not exaggerate the situation in the slightest. Unexpected, heavy snowfall and extreme cold brought transportation and public services to a standstill, and offices and schools were closed. Even the subway in Budapest was stuck.
It began like an American disaster movie. Many people set off on Saturday, January 10, 1987: some by car, but compared to current conditions, many more by train or bus, to spend the weekend visiting relatives or on a longer trip. However, in the evening hours, heavy snowfall began across the country. Few of those who set out on their journeys could have imagined that what promised to be a pleasant weekend trip would turn into a real nightmare lasting several days.
Contemporary television news reports showed images of the catastrophic snowfall accompanied by dramatic background music.
The historic snowstorm of January 1987. Photo: Fortepan / Szalay Zoltán
Meteorologists had predicted it, and everyone had been warned about the snow forecast, but even that did not prepare the country for the amount of snow that fell between January 10 and 14, 1987. A cold northern cyclone and a Mediterranean cyclone collided over the Carpathian Basin, resulting in unprecedented snowfall.
By January 12, the country was covered with 20-40 centimeters of snow, but 50-70, and even 80 centimeters of snow were not uncommon in the mountains.
Meters-high snowdrifts formed on the roads, supplies were cut off, schools were closed, and even snowplows were unable to cope with the enormous amount of snow. Cold records were broken one after another: in Budapest, for example, the temperature dropped to -22 degrees Celsius, but in other regions of Hungary, the temperature also fell to -10 to -15 degrees Celsius.
The lowest temperature was recorded in Paks, where the thermometer showed -30 degrees Celsius at one point.
Soon there was a shortage of fuel and food (at that time, a significant proportion of households still used solid fuels, coal or wood for heating), snowplows got stuck, and transportation collapsed.
The catastrophic situation was exacerbated by strong gusts of wind, which blew the snow into one place, often forming snowdrifts several meters high. In the windy Great Plain, for example, there were wind gusts of 100 kilometers per hour, while in other parts of the country, winds of “only” 70-80 km/h carried the fallen precipitation. In recent times, perhaps only the heavy snowfall of March 15, 2010, can be compared to what the country had to endure in the winter of 1987.
In some places, the snowdrifts were so high that even the snowplows got stuck, forcing the army to deploy its tracked vehicles.
The soldiers of the Hungarian Army played a key role in the rescue and in ensuring public services: they cleared snow, delivered food and supplies to isolated settlements, helped with transportation with their vehicles, and participated in the resumption of rail and road transport.
Although the soldiers also suffered from the cold below -20°C and suffered frostbite, the only television station at the time, which was under the complete control of the ruling party, tended to praise Soviet soldiers in its reports.
An obvious example of this is the case when the Soviet army, which had been occupying the country since 1945, joined in the snow removal work at the Danube Oil Industry Company in Százhalombatta. A contemporary television news report bears witness to this: the reporters covering the Soviet forces’ participation exhausted the concept of servility in their coverage of the Soviet soldiers’ “occasional statements.” For example, the report states that Soviet soldiers “even took the time” to pull out a stuck bus. Obviously, they were ordered to help as part of an organized propaganda shoot, rather than spontaneously deciding to “take the time” to help buses.
Due to the difficult traffic conditions, schools were forced to close. Overhead wires were torn down in many places on tram and railway lines, and it was impossible to keep the tracks clear of snow. In Budapest, even the metro service was disrupted due to the sections aboveground.
The historic snowstorm of January 1987. Photo: Fortepan / Szalay Zoltán
Meanwhile, goods could not reach the shops, and ambulances were also stuck in the heavy snow. In smaller villages, for example, only army tanks were able to transport the sick. The military also helped to supply shops. The freezing weather also claimed human lives; for example, a man froze to death in Ács, Komárom-Esztergom County.
Most offices were closed, and many residents suffered frostbite while trying to get to work. Production stopped in many factories, and the power supply was disrupted due to broken power lines, causing further complications in public services.
Snow-covered Bakony Mountains with the Eplény viaducts, captured by drone on January 7, 2026. Photo: MTI/Máthé Zoltán
Decades after the harsh winter of 1987, Hungary is once again experiencing heavy snowfall across the country. Unlike the chaos of the past, today’s Hungary is better prepared, with cleared roads and reliable transport. For many residents, the snow transformed the towns and the countryside into a rare white wonderland.
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Via hirado.hu; Featured photo: Fortepan / Szalay Zoltán
The post The Winter that Paralyzed Hungary: Remembering the Historic Snowstorm of January 1987 appeared first on Hungary Today.
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