WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria experienced its hottest July day on July 31, when Wieselburg in Lower Austria hit 40.3 degrees Celsius. This temperature broke the previous national July record of 39.7 degrees, which was recorded in Dellach im Drautal on July 27, 1983. The new record was confirmed by GeoSphere Austria as a severe heatwave intensified over eastern regions. The temperature did not surpass Austria’s all-time high of 40.5 degrees, measured at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
This July temperature record came after a particularly intense June that saw widespread high temperatures across the country. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 out of its 277 weather stations set new June maximum records. Additionally, 66 stations registered their highest temperature ever recorded for any month. On June 28, Vienna reached 40.0 degrees, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg hit 40.1 degrees the following day, establishing a new Austrian June record. Throughout the period, many low-altitude regions experienced between 10 and 14 days of temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimate that the heatwaves in June and late July resulted in approximately €1.4 billion in socioeconomic damages. This figure serves as a preliminary broad estimate, not a definitive government assessment or insured-loss total. The calculation considers impacts on health, workforce productivity, infrastructure, agriculture, ecosystems, and cooling energy demand. Their analysis evaluates both episodes using a metric that accounts for heat intensity, duration, and geographic extent, rather than relying solely on the highest temperature recorded at a single station.
National assessment of heat severity conducted by researchers
The Wegener Center determined approximately 16,700 area-degree days during the June heatwave. Their latest analysis indicates the current hot spell ranges between 22,700 and 25,000 area-degree days. The previous benchmark was during a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which reached about 22,100 area-degree days. This metric measures how extensively temperatures above 30 degrees spread across Austria and how long such conditions persist. The evaluation includes land up to 1,500 meters above sea level.
Austria’s health officials have also reported a significant human toll linked to the early summer heat. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated 395 heat-related deaths in June 2026, the highest June total since the agency began tracking such data. Heat-related mortality refers to deaths exceeding the expected number during periods of extreme temperatures. This figure does not require heat to be the sole medical cause listed on death certificates.
Extended drought worsened by record-breaking heat in Austria
The persistent heat has intensified a drought that started in December 2025. According to GeoSphere Austria, the country received 426 millimeters of rainfall from January 1 to July 27, significantly below the 609 millimeters expected for the same period, resulting in a deficit of roughly 30%. The agency stated Austria has not experienced such low rainfall levels in the first seven months of a year since at least the early 20th century. Regions such as Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland are among the most affected.
Extended periods of high pressure, intense sunshine, and scarce rainfall during late May, June, and late July boosted evaporation rates and depleted soil moisture. These conditions have put considerable strain on crops, rivers, forests, and water supplies across multiple areas. GeoSphere Austria noted that heatwaves are now more frequent, last longer, and reach higher temperatures compared to past decades. Its records indicate average maximum temperatures during these events have increased by approximately three degrees between the 1980s and the 2020s.