WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria reached its highest temperature ever recorded in July on the 31st, with Wieselburg in Lower Austria hitting 40.3 degrees Celsius. This measurement surpassed the previous national July record of 39.7 degrees, set in Dellach im Drautal on July 27, 1983. The new peak was confirmed by GeoSphere Austria as a severe heatwave intensified across eastern regions. The temperature stayed below Austria’s all-time record of 40.5 degrees, measured in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
This July record followed an extreme June characterized by widespread high temperatures nationwide. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 out of its 277 weather stations set new maximum temperature records for June. Additionally, 66 stations recorded their highest temperature ever for any month. Vienna reached 40.0 degrees on June 28, and the following day, Bad Deutsch-Altenburg recorded 40.1 degrees, establishing a new Austrian June high. Many low-lying regions experienced between 10 and 14 consecutive days above 30 degrees.
According to researchers at the University of Graz’s Wegener Center, the heatwaves in June and late July caused approximately €1.4 billion in socioeconomic damage. This figure is an initial broad estimate, not a final government report or insured-loss total. The calculation considers impacts on health, workforce productivity, infrastructure, agriculture, ecosystems, and cooling needs. The researchers evaluated both episodes using a metric that combines heat intensity, duration, and geographic extent, rather than relying solely on the highest temperature recorded at one station.
National heat intensity assessment by researchers
The Wegener Center estimated around 16,700 area-degree days during the June heatwave. Its latest evaluation places the ongoing event between 22,700 and 25,000 area-degree days. The previous record was set during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which reached approximately 22,100 area-degree days. This metric measures the spread of temperatures above 30 degrees across Austria and the duration of such conditions. The assessment includes land up to 1,500 meters above sea level.
Austria’s public health authorities have also documented a significant human toll linked to the early summer heat. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety reported 395 heat-related deaths in June 2026, marking the highest June total since the agency started its monitoring efforts. Heat-related mortality refers to deaths exceeding the expected levels during periods of extreme heat. These deaths do not necessarily list heat as the sole medical cause on death certificates.
Intense heat worsens ongoing drought in Austria
The recent heat has intensified a drought that began in December 2025. GeoSphere Austria recorded 426 millimeters of total nationwide rainfall from January 1 through July 27, compared to the climate average of 609 millimeters for that period—a deficit of roughly 30%. The agency noted that Austria had not experienced such low rainfall during the first seven months of a year since at least the early 20th century. The most affected regions include Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland.
Extended periods of high pressure, intense sunshine, and scant rainfall increased evaporation and depleted soil moisture during late May, June, and late July. These dry conditions have put considerable strain on crops, rivers, forests, and water supplies across various areas. GeoSphere Austria stated that heatwaves are now more frequent, last longer, and reach higher temperatures than in previous decades. Their records show that average maximum temperatures during heatwaves have increased by about three degrees between the 1980s and the 2020s.