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 July high of 39.7 degrees from 1983 in Lower Austria. GeoSphere Austria verified the record amid a heatwave sweeping eastern Austria. The country’s all-time highest temperature for any month remains 40.5 degrees, recorded at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
This July peak follows an exceptionally hot June, which saw multiple temperature records broken across the country. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 of its 277 monitored stations registered new maximum temperatures for June. Additionally, 66 stations recorded their highest temperature ever for any month. Vienna experienced 40.0 degrees on June 28, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reached 40.1 degrees on June 29. Several low-altitude regions endured between 10 and 14 consecutive days with temperatures above 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimated the socioeconomic damages caused by the June and late July heatwaves to be approximately €1.4 billion. This preliminary estimate accounts for health impacts, lost productivity, agricultural damage, and infrastructure stress. It also includes increased cooling demands, ecosystem damage, and pressure on public services. However, it does not reflect an official government damage total or insurance claim figures.
Heatwave exceeds previous record in intensity
The Wegener Center evaluated the heat events using area-degree days, a metric that measures heat intensity, duration, and extent. Their analysis indicates around 16,700 area-degree days for June’s heatwave. The assessment estimates that the late July event ranged between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s prior 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 elevation.
Simultaneously, the extreme temperatures correlated with a notable rise in heat-related mortality. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety projected 395 deaths linked to heat in June 2026, the highest June count since tracking began. This figure compares observed deaths with expected levels during intense heat periods. It does not require heat to be recorded as the sole cause on death certificates.
Record heat worsened by ongoing drought conditions
Austria faced this heatwave after a period marked by minimal rainfall. From January 1 to July 27, the country received about 426 millimeters of precipitation, below the long-term average of 609 millimeters—roughly 30% less. Authorities described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest comparable span since at least the early 20th century, with Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland experiencing some of the largest deficits.
Persistent high-pressure systems, intense sunshine, and scarce rainfall boosted evaporation during late spring and summer. These conditions led to reduced soil moisture and negatively impacted crops, rivers, forests, and regional water supplies. Climate records indicate that heatwaves now occur more frequently, last longer, and reach higher temperatures than in previous decades. The average maximum temperature during heatwaves has risen by about three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The 40.3-degree temperature marks a new July record within Austria’s documented temperature history.