Heat Becomes a Danger

Austria is now approaching the 40-degree mark!

The heat is already making people sweat buckets this weekend. Photos from Sunday morning show numerous “water lovers” at Vienna’s Gänsehäufel.(Bild: Stefanie Zaiser)

Austria continues to swelter—there’s currently no end in sight to the scorching heat! According to the latest forecasts from the weather service UBIMET, the extraordinary heat wave will continue unabated into the new week. Particularly concerning: This coming weekend, temperatures could even approach the 40-degree mark in some areas.

The streak of hot days is already remarkable and, according to experts, is heading toward record levels. In many state capitals, more than ten consecutive hot days are expected in the coming days—a figure that is exceptional even for June.

Heat Wave Sets New Records
“We are currently experiencing an exceptionally long heat wave that is setting new records in many regions,” explains meteorologist Nikolas Zimmermann of UBIMET. Such long, continuous periods of heat have typically occurred mainly in July and August, but not this early in the summer.

As the week begins, it will remain summery and hot for the time being, though the risk of thunderstorms will increase at times, especially in the mountains and in the east. On Monday, isolated heat thunderstorms are possible with temperatures reaching up to 34 degrees.

It will remain sunny and hot on Tuesday as well, but there could be another round of heavy thunderstorms in the afternoon, especially in the mountainous areas. While some regions will remain dry, the likelihood of thunderstorms will increase significantly in some areas.

Midsummer conditions will take hold by midweek
Starting midweek, summer in the classic sense will once again dominate: plenty of sunshine, high temperatures, and only isolated thunderstorms over the mountains. Temperatures will mostly range between 28 and 35 degrees. On Friday, it will get even hotter, with temperatures reaching up to 37 degrees in some areas.

Next weekend will bring extreme heat
According to forecasts, the heat wave is expected to peak over the weekend: Under stable high-pressure conditions, temperatures will rise to 32 to 38 degrees; locally, temperatures could even reach around 39 degrees—nearly 40 degrees. Thunderstorms will then be the exception rather than the rule and will be limited to isolated mountain regions in the west.

In addition, Zimmermann warns of significant health risks: The combination of heat and elevated ozone levels could pose a challenge to the body—especially in cities and metropolitan areas.

Year after year, hundreds of additional deaths occur in Austria as a result of high temperatures—experts refer to this as “heat-associated excess mortality.” Older adults, people with chronic illnesses, and children are particularly at risk. Help is available through the “Heat Hotline” at 0800/880 800, which is now accessible free of charge and provides support for questions about coping with the heat wave.

The danger is also being taken increasingly seriously in the workplace: With the new Heat Protection Ordinance, clear rules now apply for the first time to outdoor work—from construction sites to agriculture. Labor inspectors are following the principle of “advice before penalties” to help businesses implement protective measures.

Already a turbulent weekend
This past weekend was already quite intense: In addition to temperatures reaching up to 36 degrees, there were also some severe thunderstorms with hail and heavy rain. Things really heated up locally, especially on Friday evening and Saturday—a taste of what’s to come in the next few days...