WIESELBURG, AUSTRIA / RankWire.AI / – Austria set a new July temperature record on July 31 when Wieselburg hit 40.3 degrees Celsius. This measurement surpassed the previous July high of 39.7 degrees from 1983 in Lower Austria. GeoSphere Austria verified the record amidst a heatwave affecting eastern Austria. The country’s highest temperature ever recorded for any month remains 40.5 degrees, registered at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in August 2013.
This July spike follows an exceptionally hot June, which saw numerous temperature records broken. GeoSphere Austria reported that 157 of its 277 monitoring stations established new June maximums, while 66 stations recorded their highest temperature ever for any month. Vienna reached 40.0 degrees on June 28, with Bad Deutsch-Altenburg hitting 40.1 degrees on June 29. Several regions at low altitude 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. The initial estimate includes impacts on health, lost productivity, agricultural losses, and infrastructure strain. It also accounts for increased cooling needs, ecosystem damage, and added pressure on public services. This figure does not represent an official government damage assessment or insurance claim totals.
Heatwave intensity exceeds previous standards
Using area-degree days, which measure heat intensity, duration, and geographic extent, the Wegener Center evaluated the events. The June heatwave registered approximately 16,700 area-degree days. Their analysis placed the late July episode between 22,700 and 25,000. Austria’s earlier record was a 24-day heatwave in July and August 2013, which reached around 22,100 area-degree days across regions below 1,500 meters elevation.
The extreme heat coincided with a notable rise in deaths linked to heat. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety estimated that 395 deaths in June 2026 were associated with heat. This represented the highest June figure since the agency began recording such data. The estimate compares actual death counts with expected levels during periods of intense heat, and does not require heat to be the sole cause listed on death certificates.
Prolonged drought intensifies the effects of extreme heat
Austria experienced the latest heatwave following months of below-average rainfall. From January 1 to July 27, the country received roughly 426 millimeters of precipitation, compared to an average of 609 millimeters for that period, resulting in 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 notable deficits in Lower Austria, Vienna, and northern Burgenland.
Persistent high-pressure systems, abundant sunshine, and scarce rainfall led to increased evaporation during late spring and summer. These conditions depleted soil moisture and adversely affected crops, rivers, forests, and regional water supplies. Climate records show that heatwaves are now more frequent, longer-lasting, and hotter than in previous decades. Maximum temperatures during heatwaves have risen by approximately three degrees from the 1980s to the 2020s. The 40.3-degree July reading sets a new record for Austria’s temperature history.