WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria recorded its highest temperature for July on July 31, with Wieselburg reaching 40.3 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous July record of 39.7 degrees set in Dellach im Drautal in 1983. GeoSphere Austria verified this new monthly peak amid a heatwave concentrated in the eastern regions of the country. The country’s all-time temperature record remains 40.5 degrees, measured at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
This July milestone followed a June characterized by extensive and persistent extreme heat, during which GeoSphere Austria reported new maximums at 157 of its 277 weather stations. Additionally, 66 stations recorded their highest temperature for any month. On June 28, Vienna reached 40.0 degrees, and the next day, Bad Deutsch-Altenburg hit 40.1 degrees. Several low-lying areas experienced 10 to 14 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
The Wegener Center at the University of Graz estimated that the combined socioeconomic impacts of the June and late July heatwaves amounted to approximately €1.4 billion. This preliminary estimate encompasses health-related issues, productivity losses, damage to agriculture, infrastructure strain, and increased cooling demand, along with effects on ecosystems and public services. It should be noted that this figure does not constitute a final government assessment or an insured-loss total, as insurance data only reflects damages covered by active policies.
Heatwave intensity exceeds previous Austrian events
The Wegener Center assessed the severity of these heatwaves through the metric of area-degree days, which considers the heat’s intensity, duration, and geographic extent. The calculations indicated about 16,700 area-degree days for the June event, while the late July episode ranged between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s prior record was established during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which accumulated approximately 22,100 area-degree days across regions below 1,500 meters elevation.
Alongside the record-breaking temperatures, there was a notable rise in heat-related fatalities. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated 395 such deaths in June 2026, marking the highest June total since the agency began tracking this measure. Heat-associated mortality refers to deaths occurring above expected levels during periods of unusually high temperatures and does not necessarily mean that heat was the direct cause listed on each death certificate.
Deeper drought conditions intensify due to lack of rainfall
Following months of particularly dry weather, Austria faced the heatwave with a significant rainfall deficit; from January 1 to July 27, total nationwide rainfall reached only about 426 millimeters, compared to the long-term average of 609 millimeters for the same period, representing a shortfall of nearly 30%. Authorities described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest comparable period since at least the early 1900s. Regions such as Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland experienced some of the largest rainfall deficits across the country.
High-pressure systems, prolonged sunshine, and scarce precipitation increased evaporation during late spring and summer, reducing soil moisture and putting additional stress on crops, rivers, forests, and water sources. Austrian climate data indicates that heatwaves have become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more intense over recent decades, with average maximum temperatures during these events rising by approximately three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The newly set July record adds another significant data point to Austria’s ongoing trend of increasing extreme heat occurrences.