WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria experienced its hottest July temperature on July 31, with Wieselburg reaching 40.3 degrees Celsius. This surpassed the previous July record of 39.7 degrees, set in Dellach im Drautal in 1983. GeoSphere Austria verified the new monthly peak during a heatwave centered in eastern regions of the country. Austria’s all-time temperature record remains 40.5 degrees, measured at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
The July achievement followed a June characterized by widespread, persistent extreme heat. GeoSphere Austria reported new maximums at 157 of its 277 weather stations. Sixty-six stations also recorded their highest temperature ever for any month. Vienna hit 40.0 degrees on June 28, and Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reached 40.1 degrees the next day. Several low-lying areas experienced 10 to 14 consecutive days with temperatures above 30 degrees.
The Wegener Center at the University of Graz estimated that the combined socioeconomic damage from the June and late July heatwaves is around €1.4 billion. This initial estimate includes health impacts, lost productivity, farm damages, infrastructure stress, and increased cooling demand. It also considers effects on ecosystems and public services. This figure does not represent an official government assessment or insured losses. Insurance data only accounts for damages covered by active policies.
Heatwave intensity exceeds previous Austrian records
The Wegener Center used area-degree days to measure the heat events. These combine heat intensity, duration, and geographic coverage. They calculated about 16,700 area-degree days for the June heatwave. The late July episode is estimated to have generated between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s former record occurred during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which reached approximately 22,100 area-degree days across land below 1,500 meters elevation.
Temperature extremes also led to a spike in heat-related deaths. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated 395 such fatalities in June 2026. This was the highest June total since the agency began tracking. Heat-related mortality refers to deaths exceeding expected levels during periods of high temperatures. It does not require heat to be listed as the sole cause on death certificates.
Prolonged drought worsens Austria’s water shortage crisis
Austria faced the heatwave after months of unusually dry weather. Rainfall from January 1 to July 27 totaled about 426 millimeters. The average for this period is 609 millimeters, creating a shortfall near 30%. Authorities say the first seven months of 2026 are the driest comparable period since at least the early 1900s. Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland experienced some of the largest rainfall deficits.
Persistent high-pressure systems, intense sunshine, and limited rainfall increased evaporation. Soil moisture levels dropped, stressing crops, rivers, forests, and water supplies. Climate records show that heatwaves are becoming more frequent, longer, and hotter over recent decades. Between the 1980s and the 2020s, average maximum temperatures during heatwaves increased by about three degrees. The new July record confirms Austria’s trend toward more extreme heat events.