Austria, the hottest summer in the last 260 years of measurements

Austria recorded this summer the highest temperatures in the history of meteorological measurements, which began 260 years ago, according to the national meteorological service Geosphere Austria. The average temperature from June to August was 2.6 degrees Celsius above the average for the period 1991-2020, while the deficit of precipitation has accentuated the drought that has affected the country since the beginning of the year.

• Over 41 degrees Celsius, for the first time

According to Geosphere Austria, the summer of 2026 set a new absolute record in terms of average temperature. This was 2.6 degrees Celsius higher than the average for the period 1991-2020 and 4.4 degrees Celsius above the average for the period 1961-1990. Temperature records were set at more than 100 weather stations in Austria. For the first time since records began, temperatures exceeded 41 degrees Celsius. Climatologist Alexander Orlik from Geosphere Austria said it was difficult to find the "right adjectives” to describe this year's summer.

According to the specialist, terms such as "extraordinary”, "extreme” and "unprecedented” were appropriate for the maximum temperature values, the duration of heat waves, the number of hot days and tropical nights, but also for the unusually low number of frosty days in high mountain areas.

• Heat and drought

The extreme temperatures were accompanied by a significant deficit in precipitation. Between June 1 and August 31, Austria received about a third less precipitation than the long-term average. The summer of 2026 is thus among the five driest summers recorded since the beginning of measurements. The situation is all the more difficult as the summer was preceded by a spring characterized, in turn, by unusually low precipitation. Geosphere Austria data indicate that the problem is not limited to the three summer months. In the first eight months of 2026, the amount of precipitation was lower than in any other year in the relevant historical series of pluviometric measurements, which began 169 years ago.

• A signal for climate development

The combination of record temperatures and the deficit of precipitation highlights the increasing pressure exerted by climate warming on Europe. For Austria, the effects are relevant not only in terms of the temperatures felt by the population, but also for agriculture, water resources and mountain ecosystems. Prolonged droughts can put pressure on water supplies, while high temperatures are also changing conditions in alpine areas. This summer's data adds Austria to the growing list of European regions experiencing both extreme heat and prolonged drought. The summer of 2026 is not just a new weather record for Austria. It also marks an increasingly visible departure from previous climate averages, at a time when extreme temperatures and water scarcity are becoming increasingly important problems with economic and social impacts.