WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria recorded 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, set in Dellach im Drautal in 1983. GeoSphere Austria verified the new monthly peak during a heatwave that affected eastern parts of the country. The nation’s all-time temperature record remains 40.5 degrees, measured at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
This July milestone follows a June characterized by widespread and prolonged extreme heat conditions. According to GeoSphere Austria, 157 of its 277 monitored weather stations recorded new maximums for June, with 66 stations also reporting their highest temperature ever for any month. On June 28, Vienna reached 40.0 degrees, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg hit 40.1 degrees the next day. Several low-lying regions experienced 10 to 14 consecutive days with temperatures above 30 degrees.
The Wegener Center at the University of Graz estimated that the combined economic and social damages from the June and late July heatwaves amount to approximately €1.4 billion. This preliminary estimate accounts for health impacts, lost productivity, agricultural damage, infrastructure pressures, and increased cooling demands. It also considers effects on ecosystems and public services. This figure is not a definitive government assessment nor an insured-loss total, as insurance data only reflect claims under active policies.
Heatwave intensity exceeds previous Austrian records
The Wegener Center evaluated these heat events through the metric of area-degree days, which measure the combination of heat intensity, duration, and geographic spread. They calculated about 16,700 area-degree days for the June heatwave. Their assessment estimated the late July event to fall between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s prior benchmark was a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which reached roughly 22,100 area-degree days over land below 1,500 meters elevation.
The extreme temperature levels also coincided with a notable rise in heat-related fatalities. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated 395 deaths in June 2026 linked to heat. This number represented the highest June total since the agency began tracking such data. Heat-associated mortality refers to deaths occurring above expected levels during periods of abnormal heat, without requiring heat to be listed as the sole cause on death certificates.
Prolonged drought deepens Austria’s water shortage
Following months of unusually dry weather, Austria experienced the effects of the ongoing heatwave. From January 1 through July 27, the country received approximately 426 millimeters of rainfall, compared to the long-term average of 609 millimeters for that period, representing a shortfall of nearly 30%. Authorities have described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest comparable period since at least the early 1900s. Regions including Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland saw some of the highest rainfall deficits.
Persistent high-pressure systems, intense sunshine, and limited rainfall amplified evaporation during late spring and summer. These conditions reduced soil moisture and exerted additional stress on crops, rivers, forests, and water resources. Climate records show that Austria has experienced more frequent, longer, and hotter heatwaves over recent decades. The average maximum temperatures during these events have increased by about three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The new July record adds yet another clear indicator of Austria’s rising trend of extreme heat.