WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria set a new temperature record for July on July 31, when Wieselburg hit 40.3 degrees Celsius. This reading in Lower Austria surpassed the previous monthly high of 39.7 degrees from 1983. GeoSphere Austria confirmed the record amidst a period of intense heat across eastern Austria. The country’s highest temperature ever recorded in any month remains 40.5 degrees, observed at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
The July temperature peak followed an exceptionally hot June that saw widespread record-setting temperatures. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 out of its 277 monitored stations established new maximums for June. An additional 66 stations recorded their highest temperatures ever in any month. On June 28, Vienna reached 40.0 degrees, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg hit 40.1 degrees on June 29. Several low-altitude locations experienced between 10 and 14 days in a row with temperatures above 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimate that the combined June and late July heatwaves caused approximately €1.4 billion in socioeconomic damages. Their initial estimate accounts for health impacts, lost labor productivity, agricultural losses, and infrastructure stress. It also considers increased cooling demands, ecosystem damage, and additional pressure on public services. This figure does not represent the final government damage total or insurance claim amounts.
Heatwave exceeds previous record in magnitude
The Wegener Center analyzed the events through area-degree days, which measure heat intensity, duration, and geographic extent. They calculated around 16,700 area-degree days for the June heatwave. Their assessment placed the late July event between 22,700 and 25,000 area-degree days. The previous benchmark was based on a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which accumulated approximately 22,100 area-degree days across land below 1,500 meters in elevation.
The extreme temperatures also led to a significant rise in heat-related mortality. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated 395 heat-related deaths in June 2026, marking the highest June figure since the agency began tracking this data. This calculation compares recorded deaths with expected levels during intense heat periods. It does not require heat to be listed as the sole cause on each death certificate.
Prolonged drought worsens the effects of unprecedented heat
Austria experienced the latest heatwave after months of below-average rainfall. From January 1 through July 27, the country received roughly 426 millimeters of precipitation, compared to an average of 609 millimeters for that period, resulting in 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. Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland recorded some of the largest deficits.
Persistent high-pressure systems, abundant sunshine, and scarce rainfall increased evaporation during late spring and summer, leading to reduced soil moisture and affecting crops, rivers, forests, and regional water supplies. Austria’s climate records show that heatwaves are now more frequent, longer-lasting, and reach higher temperatures than in previous decades. Maximum average temperatures during heat events have risen by approximately three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The 40.3-degree reading establishes a new July record in Austria’s documented temperature history.