WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria set a new record for July temperatures on July 31, when Wieselburg reached 40.3 degrees Celsius. This measurement surpassed the previous July high of 39.7 degrees from 1983 in Lower Austria. GeoSphere Austria verified the record amid a period of intense heat across eastern Austria. The country’s highest temperature ever recorded in any month remains 40.5 degrees, measured at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
The peak in July followed an exceptionally hot June that saw widespread temperature records. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 of its 277 monitoring stations recorded new maximum temperatures for June. Additionally, 66 stations reported their highest temperature ever for any month. Vienna hit 40.0 degrees on June 28, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reached 40.1 degrees on June 29. Several lower-altitude regions experienced between 10 and 14 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimated socioeconomic damages of approximately €1.4 billion due to the heatwaves in June and late July. The initial estimate covers health impacts, lost productivity, agricultural damage, and infrastructure stress. It also includes increased cooling demand, ecosystem damage, and pressure on public services. This figure does not represent an official government damage total or insurance claims value.
Heatwave severity surpasses previous records
The Wegener Center evaluated the heat events using area-degree days, a metric that reflects heat intensity, duration, and geographic extent. They calculated about 16,700 area-degree days for the June heatwave. Their assessment placed the late July event between 22,700 and 25,000 area-degree days. Austria’s former record was set during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which accumulated approximately 22,100 area-degree days across land below 1,500 meters in elevation.
The extreme heat also coincided with a notable rise in heat-related fatalities. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated 395 heat-related deaths in June 2026. This marked the highest June figure since the agency started tracking this statistic. The estimate compares observed deaths to expected levels during extreme heat periods. It does not require heat to be the sole cause listed on death certificates.
Prolonged drought worsens the effects of record-breaking temperatures
Austria experienced the latest heatwave after several months of below-average rainfall. From January 1 through July 27, the country received about 426 millimeters of precipitation. The average for this period is 609 millimeters, indicating a shortfall of roughly 30%. Authorities described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest comparable period since at least the early 20th century. Significant deficits were noted in Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland.
Persistent high-pressure systems, abundant sunshine, and limited rainfall heightened evaporation during late spring and summer. These conditions led to reduced soil moisture and adversely affected crops, rivers, forests, and regional water supplies. Austrian climate records show that heatwaves now tend to occur more frequently, last longer, and reach higher temperatures than in previous decades. The average maximum temperature during heatwaves has increased by approximately three degrees between the 1980s and the 2020s. The 40.3-degree reading establishes a new July record in Austria’s temperature history.