Austria records unprecedented 41.2°C heat and three consecutive 40°C+ days

Austria experienced an historic heatwave in early August 2026. A temperature of 41.2 °C was recorded at Bad Deutsch‑Altenburg, surpassing the previous national record of 41.0 °C set the day before in Vienna‑Stammersdorf. For the first time in the country’s measurement history, three consecutive days saw temperatures at or above 40 °C – 40.1 °C on 3 August in Vienna‑Stammersdorf, 41.0 °C on 4 August at the same station, and 41.2 °C on 5 August in Bad Deutsch‑Altenburg. In total, 27 weather stations broke all‑time location records, with six stations exceeding the 40 °C threshold on 5 August.

Ground‑level ozone levels rose sharply, posing health risks especially for children, the elderly and people with respiratory conditions. The heatwave also produced a surge in “tropical nights” – nights where temperatures did not fall below 20 °C – with record numbers reported in Vienna (53 nights), Eisenstadt (17) and Linz (14) for the year.

Economic analysts warned that the prolonged heat could cost Austrian energy, industrial and agricultural sectors billions of euros, as reduced water‑power output and higher cooling demand strain the economy.