WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria recorded its highest temperature for July on July 31, with Wieselburg in Lower Austria reaching 40.3 degrees Celsius. This reading surpassed the previous national July record of 39.7 degrees, set in Dellach im Drautal on July 27, 1983. GeoSphere Austria confirmed the new monthly high as a severe heatwave intensified its hold on eastern regions. The temperature remained below Austria’s all-time record of 40.5 degrees, measured in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
The July temperature peak followed an extreme June that saw widespread temperature highs across the country. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 of its 277 weather stations set new maximum records for June. Additionally, 66 stations recorded their highest temperature for any month. Vienna reached 40.0 degrees on June 28, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg hit 40.1 degrees the following day, establishing a new Austrian June high. Many low-lying areas experienced between 10 and 14 consecutive days above 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimate that the heatwaves in June and late July caused approximately €1.4 billion in socioeconomic damages. This figure is an initial broad estimate, not a final government assessment or an insured-loss total. Their calculations include impacts on health, labor productivity, infrastructure, agriculture, ecosystems, and cooling demand. The researchers evaluated both heat episodes using a metric that considers heat intensity, duration, and geographic extent, rather than relying solely on a station’s maximum temperature.
Researchers quantify nationwide heat intensity
The Wegener Center measured about 16,700 area-degree days during the June heatwave. Their latest assessment indicates the current period has accumulated between 22,700 and 25,000 area-degree days. The previous record was during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which reached approximately 22,100 area-degree days. This metric gauges the extent of temperatures exceeding 30 degrees across Austria and the duration of such conditions. The calculation includes land up to 1,500 meters above sea level.
Austria’s health authorities have also documented a significant human toll resulting 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 its monitoring series. Heat-associated mortality refers to deaths above expected levels during periods of extreme temperatures. It does not require heat to be listed as the sole cause on each death certificate.
Intense heat worsens Austria’s ongoing drought
The ongoing drought, which started in December 2025, has been intensified by the recent heat. GeoSphere Austria reported a total of 426 millimeters of rainfall nationwide from January 1 through July 27. The climate average for this period is 609 millimeters, resulting in a deficit of about 30%. The agency stated that Austria has 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.
Prolonged periods of high pressure, intense sunshine, and limited rainfall increased evaporation rates and decreased soil moisture during late May, June, and late July. These dry conditions have exerted pressure on crops, rivers, forests, and water supplies across several areas. GeoSphere Austria noted that heatwaves are now more frequent, last longer, and reach higher temperatures than in previous decades. Its records show that average maximum temperatures during heatwaves have increased by approximately three degrees between the 1980s and the 2020s.