WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria set a new record for July temperatures on July 31, when Wieselburg hit 40.3 degrees Celsius. This temperature surpassed the previous monthly high of 39.7 degrees from 1983 in Lower Austria. The record was confirmed by GeoSphere Austria amid a period of intense heat throughout eastern Austria. Austria’s highest temperature ever recorded for any month remains 40.5 degrees, registered at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
The peak temperature in July followed an exceptionally hot June that broke numerous temperature records. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 out of its 277 monitoring stations registered new maximum temperatures for June. An additional 66 stations recorded their highest temperature ever for any month. Vienna reached 40.0 degrees on June 28, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg recorded 40.1 degrees on June 29. Multiple low-altitude regions experienced between 10 and 14 days in a row with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimated the socioeconomic damage from the June and late July heatwaves at approximately €1.4 billion. This initial estimate considers health impacts, lost productivity, agricultural losses, and infrastructure stress. It also accounts for increased cooling needs, ecological damage, and pressure on public services. The figure does not reflect a final government damage assessment or insurance claim totals.
Heatwave measure surpasses previous record
Using area-degree days, a metric that evaluates heat intensity, duration, and geographic spread, the Wegener Center analyzed the heat events. They calculated roughly 16,700 area-degree days during the June heatwave. The late July episode was estimated to fall between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s previous benchmark was set by a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which accumulated about 22,100 area-degree days across land below 1,500 meters in elevation.
The extreme temperatures coincided with a significant rise in heat-related mortality. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety reported an estimated 395 deaths linked to heat in June 2026. This marked the highest June death toll since the agency started tracking the data. The count compares actual deaths to expected levels during intense heat periods, without requiring heat to be listed as the sole cause on death certificates.
Prolonged drought worsens the effects of record-breaking temperatures
Austria faced the latest heatwave after months of below-average rainfall. From January 1 to July 27, the country received approximately 426 millimeters of precipitation, compared to the long-term average of 609 millimeters, resulting in a deficit of about 30%. Authorities described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest comparable period since at least the early 20th century. The largest deficits were recorded in Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland.
Persistent high-pressure systems, abundant sunshine, and limited rainfall heightened evaporation rates during late spring and summer. These conditions reduced soil moisture and negatively impacted crops, rivers, forests, and regional water supplies. Austrian climate records indicate that heatwaves are now more frequent, last longer, and reach higher temperatures than in previous decades. The average maximum temperature during heatwaves has increased by about three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The 40.3-degree reading sets a new July record in Austria’s documented temperature history.