WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria experienced a new temperature peak for July on July 31 as intense heat affected its eastern regions. The temperature recorded by a weather station in Wieselburg, Lower Austria, reached 40.3 degrees Celsius. This surpassed the prior July record of 39.7 degrees, set in Dellach im Drautal in 1983. GeoSphere Austria verified this as the official monthly high. The temperature stayed below the national all-time high of 40.5 degrees, documented in August 2013.
This recent record followed an exceptionally scorching June across much of Austria. Out of 277 weather stations monitored, 157 recorded new maximum temperatures for June. Additionally, 66 stations marked their highest temperature ever recorded in any month. Vienna hit 40.0 degrees on June 28, with Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reaching 40.1 degrees a day later. Many lower-altitude zones also experienced between 10 and 14 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimate that the combined June and late July heatwaves caused socioeconomic damages amounting to approximately €1.4 billion. This estimate considers health impacts, reduced workforce productivity, agricultural losses, infrastructure strain, and increased cooling demands. It also accounts for ecosystem pressures and public service burdens. The figure does not reflect an official government damage assessment, nor does it cover insured losses, which only include claims covered by insurance policies.
Heat intensity surpasses Austria’s previous national record
The study evaluated both heatwaves using area-degree days, a metric that combines temperature, duration, and geographical extent. The June event accumulated roughly 16,700 area-degree days, whereas the late July event ranged from 22,700 to 25,000. Austria’s former benchmark was set during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which registered about 22,100 area-degree days across land areas below 1,500 meters in elevation.
The early summer heat also coincided with a sharp increase in heat-related fatalities. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated 395 such deaths during June 2026, marking the highest June figure since the agency began tracking this data. Heat-related mortality indicates deaths occurring above expected levels during periods of extreme heat. It does not necessarily mean heat is the sole cause listed on each death certificate.
Intensifying drought exacerbates conditions across Austria
Prior to the heatwave, Austria faced months of notably low rainfall. From January 1 to July 27, the country received approximately 426 millimeters of precipitation. The average for this period is 609 millimeters, resulting in a deficit near 30%. Authorities described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest since at least the early 20th century. Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland are among the regions experiencing the most significant rainfall shortages.
Persistent high pressure, abundant sunshine, and scarce rainfall increased evaporation during late May, June, and July. These conditions depleted soil moisture and stressed crops, rivers, forests, and regional water sources. Climate records indicate that Austria now faces more frequent and prolonged heatwaves than in previous decades. The average peak temperatures during these events have risen by about three degrees since the 1980s. The recent July record underscores Austria’s ongoing pattern of increasingly severe extreme heat episodes.