Austria hits 40.3°C July record, shattering 43‑year high

In July 2026 Austria recorded its highest July temperature ever when the Wieselburg station in Niederösterreich measured 40.3 °C, breaking a 43‑year record set in 1983. The heat wave also set new July highs in Vienna (39.7 °C) and Upper Austria (39.6 °C). In Burgenland, Eisenstadt reached 38.2 °C, the hottest temperature in the state, while other regions saw temperatures above 37 °C. Meteorologists warn the extreme heat will continue, with forecasts of 37‑40 °C in the coming days and heightened forest‑fire risk, prompting authorities to ban open‑flame activities.

Experts say building standards must adapt to the new climate reality. Alexander Sieh, a building‑physics professor at the University of Applied Sciences Campus Wien, argues that current Austrian building codes are based on outdated temperature baselines (31.5 °C) and that heat‑protection measures should become a norm, similar to winter heating. He recommends external shading, green roofs, water features and stricter heat‑limit thresholds. In Germany, researcher Xiaoping Xie advises better roof‑insulation, external sunshades and natural ventilation to keep attic apartments livable during heat spikes.