Capital Breaks the 40 Mark

Vienna is heading toward the 40-degree mark for the first time

It’s scorching hot in Vienna’s Prater.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

The heat wave is approaching its hellish peak in the east. And another dismal record was broken on Sunday: Vienna’s all-time high temperature record was surpassed—it has never been this hot in the capital before. The all-time June record was also broken once again.

One thing is certain: The new all-time June record, set on Saturday in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, was broken yet again on Sunday. Temperatures of 40 degrees were recorded in Tullnerfeld, Lower Austria, and ultimately in Vienna as well:

The thermometer in Vienna’s Innere Stadt district read 40.0 degrees—making it the hottest day ever recorded in Vienna. The previous record in the capital was 39.5 degrees, recorded in August 2013. 

Rush to Vienna’s swimming pools
It’s hardly surprising that Vienna sought relief by the water. In any case, Vienna’s swimming pools certainly couldn’t complain about a lack of visitors—quite the opposite. At the Schönbrunner Bad, for example, admission was temporarily halted, and a line several meters long formed at the entrance, as one “Krone” reader reported. Once inside, however, the hunt began: “Hardly any space to lie down,” was the verdict.

Sunbathing spots are in short supply at the Schönbrunn Pool.(Bild: zVg, Krone KREATIV)

Where there’s heat, there’s unfortunately also a fire hazard: On Sunday afternoon, the Vienna Fire Department was kept extremely busy in the Donaustadt district—the record-breaking heat led to the first major field fire. 

Hot Water in the East, 12 Degrees at the Glockner
Austria’s bodies of water are also continuing to heat up in the wake of the heat wave. The Alte Donau in Vienna currently has a water temperature of 29.6 degrees. You’ll also search in vain for relief at Lake Neusiedl. There, the water temperature had already risen to 32 degrees by Saturday evening.

Temperatures in the mountains are also well above average: “At the Adlersruhe on the Großglockner (3,454 m), temperatures are currently around +12 °C,” says Nikolas Zimmermann, a weather expert at the Unwetterzentrale. This has devastating consequences: Under these conditions, more than ten centimeters of old snow or ice could melt per day in some areas. 

It’s scorching hot in Vienna’s Prater.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

Records are falling like dominoes
After the old all-time June record was literally shattered on Sunday, records also fell during the night leading into Sunday. Once again, a tropical night had many regions of Austria sweating. According to the Unwetterzentrale, the temperature at three weather stations across the country did not drop below 25 degrees: For example, the thermometer in Hornstein (Burgenland) recorded a low of 26.2 degrees, Vienna’s city center 25.7 degrees, and Bad Deutsch-Altenburg—the June record holder—25.2 degrees.

The current heat wave is certainly intense: “New monthly records have already been set in seven of the nine provincial capitals, and in some cases—such as in Innsbruck—all-time records as well,” said UWZ weather expert Zimmermann. 

Speaking of all-time records: It’s now rather unlikely that the statewide record will at least be tied today, Sunday. 

Another heat wave on the way?
Although temperatures will temporarily cool off starting in the middle of next week and drop to levels normal for this time of year, the next heat wave is unlikely to be too far off. According to a cautious forecast, it could arrive as early as the week after next.