WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria set a new temperature record for July on July 31 as severe heat swept through the eastern regions. A weather station located in Wieselburg, Lower Austria, recorded 40.3 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous July high of 39.7 degrees documented in Dellach im Drautal in 1983. GeoSphere Austria verified this as the monthly record. The temperature stayed below the national all-time high of 40.5 degrees, which was reached in August 2013.
This newest record followed an exceptionally hot June across much of Austria. Of the 277 weather stations under surveillance, 157 registered new maximum temperatures for June, and 66 stations recorded their highest temperature ever recorded for any month. Vienna hit 40.0 degrees on June 28, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reached 40.1 degrees the following day. Many regions at lower altitudes endured between 10 and 14 days of consecutive temperatures above 30 degrees.
Researchers at the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimate that the heatwaves in June and late July resulted in approximately €1.4 billion in socioeconomic losses. This estimate accounts for health impacts, reduced labor productivity, agricultural damages, infrastructure pressure, and the increased need for cooling. It also considers ecological impacts and strain on public services. The total does not constitute a final government damage report and differs from insurance claims, which only reflect covered losses.
Heat intensity surpasses previous national record
The scientists evaluated both heatwaves using area-degree days, a metric that combines temperature, duration, and geographic extent. The June event reached around 16,700 area-degree days, whereas the late July episode ranged between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s earlier benchmark was set during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which accumulated approximately 22,100 area-degree days across land regions below 1,500 meters in elevation.
The intense early summer heat also led to a significant increase in heat-related fatalities. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety reported 395 such deaths during June 2026, marking the highest June figure since the agency began tracking this data. Heat-related mortality reflects deaths exceeding expected levels during extreme temperature periods. It does not necessarily mean heat was the sole cause listed on every death certificate.
Extended drought compounds stress throughout Austria
Austria faced the heatwave after months of unusually low rainfall. Between January 1 and July 27, total precipitation measured approximately 426 millimeters nationwide, compared to the average of 609 millimeters for that period, indicating a near 30% deficit. Authorities described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest such span since at least the early 20th century. Regions like Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland experienced some of the most significant rainfall shortages.
Persistent high-pressure systems, intense sunshine, and minimal rainfall led to increased evaporation through late May, June, and July. These conditions reduced soil moisture and placed stress on crops, rivers, forests, and regional water supplies. Climate records in Austria show that heatwaves are becoming more frequent and longer-lasting than in previous decades. The average peak temperatures during heat events have risen by about three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The recent July record underscores Austria’s ongoing pattern of intensifying extreme heat episodes.