WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria set a new temperature record for July on July 31 when Wieselburg reached 40.3 degrees Celsius. This measurement in Lower Austria surpassed the previous monthly high of 39.7 degrees from 1983. 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.
The peak in July followed an exceptionally hot June that shattered several temperature records across the country. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 out of its 277 monitored stations set new maximums for June, while 66 stations recorded their highest temperature ever for any month. On June 28, Vienna hit 40.0 degrees, and on June 29, Bad Deutsch-Altenburg recorded 40.1 degrees. Multiple low-altitude locations experienced between 10 and 14 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimate that the June and late July heatwaves caused approximately €1.4 billion in socioeconomic damage. This initial estimate accounts for health impacts, lost productivity, agricultural losses, and infrastructure stress. It also encompasses increased cooling demands, ecosystem degradation, and additional pressure on public services. The figure does not reflect an official government damage total or insurance claim values.
Heatwave intensity surpasses previous records
The Wegener Center evaluated the events using area-degree days, a metric for heat intensity, duration, and geographic spread. They calculated around 16,700 area-degree days for the June heatwave. Their analysis suggests that the late July event ranged between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s prior benchmark was a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which registered approximately 22,100 area-degree days across land below 1,500 meters elevation.
These extreme temperatures also led to a notable rise in heat-related fatalities. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated that 395 deaths in June 2026 were linked to heat. This represented the highest June figure since the agency’s records began. The calculation compares the number of deaths observed during hot periods with expected levels, without requiring heat to be listed as the sole cause on each death certificate.
Prolonged drought worsens the effects of record-breaking heat
Austria experienced months of limited rainfall prior to the latest heatwave. Between January 1 and July 27, the country received approximately 426 millimeters of precipitation, below the 609 millimeters average for that period, creating 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, with significant deficits in Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland.
Ongoing high-pressure systems, intense sunshine, and scarce rainfall led to increased evaporation during late spring and summer. These conditions diminished soil moisture, impacting crops, rivers, forests, and regional water supplies. Climate records show that heatwaves in Austria now tend to be more frequent, last longer, and reach higher temperatures than in previous decades. Between the 1980s and 2020s, average maximum temperatures during such events have risen by about three degrees. The 40.3-degree reading adds a new July record to Austria’s documented temperature history.