WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria saw its highest temperature for July on July 31, when Wieselburg hit 40.3 degrees Celsius. This new record surpassed the previous July high of 39.7 degrees, set in Dellach im Drautal in 1983. GeoSphere Austria verified the new monthly peak amid a heatwave affecting the eastern regions of the country. Austria’s all-time temperature record remains 40.5 degrees, registered at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
The July temperature milestone followed a June characterized by widespread, persistent extreme heat. According to GeoSphere Austria, 157 of its 277 weather stations recorded new maximum temperatures for June. Additionally, 66 stations noted their highest temperature ever recorded for any month. Vienna reached 40.0 degrees on June 28, and Bad Deutsch-Altenburg hit 40.1 degrees the next day. Several low-altitude areas experienced 10 to 14 consecutive days with temperatures above 30 degrees.
The Wegener Center at the University of Graz estimated that combined socioeconomic damages from the June and late July heatwaves amount to around €1.4 billion. This preliminary estimate includes health impacts, productivity losses, agricultural damage, infrastructure pressure, and increased cooling demands. It also accounts for effects on ecosystems and public services. This figure does not constitute an official government assessment or reflect insured losses; insurance data only covers damages under active policies.
Heatwave intensity exceeds previous Austrian event
The Wegener Center quantified the heatwaves using area-degree days, a metric that considers heat intensity, duration, and geographic extent. The researchers calculated approximately 16,700 area-degree days for the June event, while the late July episode is estimated to have reached between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s prior record was during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which accumulated around 22,100 area-degree days across land below 1,500 meters elevation.
The extreme temperatures also led to a notable rise in heat-related fatalities. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated that 395 deaths in June 2026 were linked to heat. This marked the highest June death toll since the agency started tracking the figure. Heat-related mortality reflects an increase in deaths above expected levels during periods of intense heat, without necessarily requiring heat to be listed as the sole cause on death certificates.
Growing drought worsens Austria’s water scarcity
Following months of unusually dry conditions, Austria faced the heatwave with a significant rainfall deficit. From January 1 to July 27, total nationwide precipitation was approximately 426 millimeters, well below the long-term average of 609 millimeters for the same period, representing nearly a 30% shortfall. Authorities describe 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 recorded some of the largest rainfall deficits across the country.
Persistent high-pressure systems, intense sunlight, and limited rainfall intensified evaporation during late spring and summer. These conditions reduced soil moisture and strained crops, rivers, forests, and water supplies. Austrian climate records show an increase in frequency, duration, and severity of heatwaves over recent decades, with average maximum temperatures during such events rising by approximately three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The new July temperature record adds further evidence to Austria’s ongoing trend of rising extreme heat occurrences.