WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria experienced its highest July temperature on July 31, with Wieselburg reaching 40.3 degrees Celsius. This temperature surpassed the previous July record of 39.7 degrees, which was set in Dellach im Drautal in 1983. GeoSphere Austria verified this new monthly peak amid a heatwave focused on the eastern regions of the country. The nation’s all-time temperature record remains 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 out of its 277 weather stations recorded new maximum temperatures for June. Additionally, 66 stations registered their highest temperature ever recorded for any month. On June 28, Vienna hit 40.0 degrees, and the next day Bad Deutsch-Altenburg recorded 40.1 degrees. Several lower-altitude areas experienced 10 to 14 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
The Wegener Center at the University of Graz estimated that the combined socioeconomic damages from the June and late July heatwaves amount to approximately €1.4 billion. This initial estimate covers health impacts, productivity losses, agricultural damage, infrastructure stress, and increased cooling demands. It also considers effects on ecosystems and public services. The figure does not represent a final government assessment or an insured-loss total, as insurance data only account for damages covered by active policies.
Heatwave intensity surpasses previous Austrian event
Researchers assessed the events using area-degree days, a metric that combines heat intensity, duration, and geographic coverage. They calculated about 16,700 area-degree days for the June heatwave. The late July heatwave’s impact is estimated between 22,700 and 25,000 area-degree days. Austria’s prior 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 in elevation.
The extreme heat also corresponded with a notable rise in heat-related fatalities. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimates 395 deaths linked to heat in June 2026, marking the highest June total since the agency started tracking this measure. Heat-associated mortality refers to deaths above expected levels during periods of unusually high temperatures. This calculation does not require heat to be listed as the sole cause on each death certificate.
Rain deficit worsens Austria’s drought situation
Following months of abnormally dry conditions, Austria faced the heatwave with a significant rainfall deficit. From January 1 through July 27, the country received approximately 426 millimeters of rain, compared to the long-term average of 609 millimeters for that period, representing nearly a 30% shortfall. Authorities have described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest comparable period since at least the early 1900s. The largest rainfall deficits were recorded in Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland.
Prolonged high-pressure systems, intense sunshine, and limited rainfall increased evaporation rates during late spring and summer. These conditions reduced soil moisture levels and exerted additional pressure on crops, rivers, forests, and water supplies. Climate records show that heatwaves in Austria have become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more intense over recent decades. The average maximum temperatures during heatwaves have risen by about three degrees between the 1980s and the 2020s. The new July temperature record further underscores Austria’s ongoing trend of rising extreme heat levels.