Heat records

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The year 2024 could be the hottest year in Austria's measurement history. This is according to the latest data from Geosphere Austria.

Numerous heat records have already been broken, according to Geosphere.

3.8 degrees above average
In terms of the measured air temperature, the Austrian annual average for 2024 - including the forecasts for August - is already 3.8 degrees above the annual average for 1961-1990.

According to Geosphere, only two above-average or four average cold fall and winter months could change this value in such a way that the previous highs from 2023 and 2018 (around 2.5 degrees above the 1961-1990 average) are not exceeded.

Even a cold December, which was relatively warm in 2023 at 0.8 degrees above the all-time average, could not depress the annual average too much in 2024. Third place in the measurement history is therefore in all likelihood no longer up for grabs in 2024 - whether it will even be second or first place will become clear at the end of the year. The five warmest years in measurement history only include years in the recent past: 2023, 2018, 2014, 2022 and 2019.

Three provincial capitals experience new record number of tropical nights
As far as the previous records for tropical nights per year are concerned, these had already been set or exceeded in the provincial capitals of St. Pölten, Eisenstadt and Graz by mid-August. In meteorology, a tropical night is a night in which the air temperature does not fall below 20 degrees. In Eisenstadt alone, the number of tropical nights this year is 23 (cut-off date: August 16), which is already four nights above the previous record set in 2015.

Heat remains until Monday
In St. Pölten, eleven tropical nights have been counted so far this year, four more than in 2015. In Graz, the previous record of nine tropical nights from 2013 was at least equalled this year with nine for the time being, but is likely to be surpassed - Geosphere Austria expects the heat to continue in eastern Austria until next Monday, after which it should cool down.

The most tropical nights in a comparison of provincial capitals this year were recorded in Vienna: as of 16 August, the Innere Stadt weather station registered 37. The highest value here dates back to 2018 and 2019 with 41 each - whether this record will be reached this year is questionable.

Another hot weekend still possible this summer
As Geosphere climatologist Alexander Orlik explains, another hot weekend is still possible this summer. The most tropical nights in a row were also recorded at the Innere Stadt station in 1994 - back then, the thermometer never dropped below 20 degrees for 17 consecutive nights.