WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria experienced a new temperature record for July on July 31, when Wieselburg reached 40.3 degrees Celsius. This measurement surpassed the previous monthly high of 39.7 degrees from 1983 in Lower Austria. GeoSphere Austria verified the record amid a wave of intense heat across eastern Austria. The country’s highest temperature ever recorded in any month remains 40.5 degrees, recorded at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
The July temperature peak followed an unusually scorching June, which set numerous temperature records. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 out of its 277 monitored stations established new maximums for June, with an additional 66 stations recording their highest temperatures ever in any month. Vienna hit 40.0 degrees on June 28, while Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reached 40.1 degrees on June 29. Multiple low-altitude regions experienced between 10 and 14 consecutive days with temperatures above 30 degrees.
Researchers from the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimated socioeconomic damages of approximately €1.4 billion resulting from the heatwaves in June and late July. This initial estimate accounts for health impacts, decreased labor productivity, agricultural damage, and infrastructure stress. It also factors in increased cooling needs, ecosystem degradation, and additional pressure on public services. The total does not represent an official government damage assessment or the total of insurance claims filed.
Heatwave intensity surpasses previous records
The Wegener Center analyzed the events via area-degree days, a metric reflecting heat intensity, duration, and spatial extent. Their calculations indicate about 16,700 area-degree days for June’s heatwave. The late July event is estimated to have ranged between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s prior benchmark was set by a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which recorded roughly 22,100 area-degree days across land below 1,500 meters elevation.
These extreme temperatures coincided with a notable rise in heat-related mortality. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated that 395 deaths in June 2026 were associated with the heat, marking the highest June figure since the agency started tracking this data. This calculation compares observed deaths with expected levels during periods of intense heat. It does not require heat to be listed as the sole cause of death on each certificate.
Drought intensifies the effects of record-breaking heat
Austria faced the recent heatwave following months of below-average rainfall. From January 1 through July 27, the country received approximately 426 millimeters of precipitation, compared to the average of 609 millimeters for that period, indicating a shortfall of about 30%. Authorities described the first seven months of 2026 as the driest comparable period since at least the early 20th century, with Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland recording some of the largest deficits.
Persistent high-pressure systems, abundant sunshine, and limited rainfall increased evaporation rates during late spring and summer. These conditions led to reduced soil moisture and negatively impacted crops, rivers, forests, and regional water supplies. Austrian climate records now show that heatwaves are becoming more frequent, lasting longer, and reaching higher temperatures than in previous decades. The average maximum temperature during such events has risen by approximately three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The 40.3-degree July reading establishes a new record for Austria’s temperature history during that month.