WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria experienced its hottest July day on July 31, with Wieselburg in Lower Austria reaching 40.3 degrees Celsius. This temperature surpassed the national July record of 39.7 degrees, previously set in Dellach im Drautal on July 27, 1983. GeoSphere Austria verified this new monthly peak amid a severe heatwave intensifying across eastern regions. The temperature did not exceed Austria’s all-time record of 40.5 degrees, measured in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
Following an exceptionally hot June, the July temperature record reflects ongoing extreme weather conditions across the country. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 out of 277 weather stations registered new maximums for June. Additionally, 66 stations recorded their highest temperature ever for any month. Vienna hit 40.0 degrees on June 28, with Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reaching 40.1 degrees the following day, setting a new Austrian June record. Many low-altitude regions experienced 10 to 14 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimate that the combined heatwaves in June and late July caused approximately €1.4 billion in socioeconomic damages. This figure is a preliminary broad estimate and does not represent the final government or insurance-loss totals. The assessment considers impacts on health, workforce productivity, infrastructure, agriculture, ecosystems, and cooling requirements. Their approach involved evaluating heat intensity, duration, and geographical extent, rather than relying solely on the highest temperature recorded at a single station.
Nationally, heat intensity is being quantified by researchers
The Wegener Center calculated roughly 16,700 area-degree days during the June heatwave. The most recent assessment places the current heatwave between 22,700 and 25,000 area-degree days, surpassing the previous benchmark of about 22,100 during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013. That event was characterized by about 22,100 area-degree days. This metric measures how widely temperatures above 30 degrees spread across Austria and how long such conditions persist, including land up to 1,500 meters above sea level.
Austria’s health authorities also report significant human impacts from the early summer heat. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated 395 heat-related deaths in June 2026, marking the highest June total since the agency began tracking such data. Heat-related mortality indicates deaths above expected levels during periods of extreme heat; it does not necessarily mean heat was the sole medical cause listed on death certificates.
The ongoing heat intensifies Austria’s prolonged drought
Since December 2025, Austria has been suffering from a worsening drought, further compounded by the recent heat. GeoSphere Austria reported a total of 426 millimeters of rainfall across the country from January 1 through July 27, well below the average for that period, which is 609 millimeters, representing a deficit of nearly 30%. The agency highlighted that Austria has not experienced such low rainfall during the first seven months of a year since at least the early 20th century. Regions including Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland are among the most affected.
Extended periods of high pressure, intense sunlight, and minimal rainfall have led to increased evaporation and depleted soil moisture during late May, June, and late July. These dry conditions have strained crops, rivers, forests, and water supplies in various areas. GeoSphere Austria noted that heatwaves are now more frequent, last longer, and reach higher temperatures than in previous decades. Its records indicate that average maximum temperatures during heatwaves have increased by about three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s.