WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria experienced its hottest temperature in July on the 31st, with Wieselburg recording 40.3 degrees Celsius. This surpassed the previous July high of 39.7 degrees, set in Dellach im Drautal in 1983. GeoSphere Austria validated the new monthly peak amid a heatwave concentrated in the eastern regions of the country. The nation’s all-time temperature record remains at 40.5 degrees, recorded at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
This July milestone followed a June characterized by widespread and persistent extreme heat. According to GeoSphere Austria, 157 of its 277 weather stations registered new maximum temperatures for June. Sixty-six stations also reported their highest temperature ever recorded for any month. Vienna hit 40.0 degrees on June 28, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reached 40.1 degrees the next day. Several lower-altitude areas endured 10 to 14 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
The Wegener Center at the University of Graz estimated economic and social damages totaling approximately €1.4 billion due to the heatwaves in June and late July. This preliminary estimate accounts for health issues, lost productivity, agricultural damage, strain on infrastructure, and increased cooling needs. It also considers ecological effects and pressures on public services. This figure does not constitute a final government assessment nor does it reflect an insured-loss total, as insurance data only includes claims covered under active policies.
Heatwave intensity exceeds previous Austrian events
The Wegener Center analyzed the events through area-degree days, a metric combining heat intensity, duration, and geographical coverage. The June heatwave was estimated at about 16,700 area-degree days. The late July event is calculated to fall between 22,700 and 25,000 area-degree days. Austria’s prior record was during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which accumulated roughly 22,100 area-degree days across land below 1,500 meters altitude.
The extreme temperatures corresponded with 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 their records began. Heat-related mortality refers to deaths exceeding expected levels during periods of unusually high heat. This calculation does not require heat to be listed as the sole cause on each death certificate.
Prolonged drought worsened by lack of rainfall
Following months of exceptionally dry weather, Austria faced the heatwave with a significant rainfall deficit. From January 1 to July 27, the country received approximately 426 millimeters of rain, compared to a long-term average of 609 millimeters, resulting in a shortfall of nearly 30%. Authorities described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest period of comparable length since at least the early 1900s. Regions such as Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland experienced some of the largest rainfall deficits.
Persistent high-pressure systems, intense sunshine, and limited rainfall increased evaporation rates throughout late spring and summer. These conditions depleted soil moisture and exerted additional stress on crops, rivers, forests, and water reserves. Records show that Austria’s heatwaves have become more frequent, prolonged, and intense over recent decades. Average maximum temperatures during heatwaves have risen by around three degrees between the 1980s and the 2020s. The new July record further underscores Austria’s ongoing trend of rising extreme heat conditions.