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27.5 degrees as the low: That’s never happened before either!

Even at night, there was no relief from the heat: With a low of 27.5 degrees, Lower Austria recorded the hottest night in Austrian history. (Stock photo)(Bild: kanashkin - stock.adobe.com)

Austria was sweltering over the weekend—and now a historic record has been broken even at night! The previous highest minimum temperature was shattered: 27.5 degrees was recorded at the Buchbergwarte in Neulengbach (Lower Austria)—a new record for the highest minimum temperature. 

Even the capital couldn’t catch a break during the tropical night. In Vienna, the thermometer didn’t drop below 27 degrees all night. At 11 p.m., the temperature in the city center was still 32 degrees; at midnight, Vienna, Linz, and Retz were still above 30 degrees. For many people, a restful night’s sleep was out of the question.

And yet the weekend had already set a historic record: for the first time in Austrian meteorological history, temperatures in Vienna reached 40 degrees. This extreme heat wave is thus making weather history—and placing an enormous strain on people and nature.

GeoSphere Austria issues an urgent warning on its website about the extreme heat stress. The subtropical air masses pose a risk of elevated body temperature, weakness, fatigue, and in extreme cases, even dizziness or confusion. Experts advise drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding physical exertion during the midday heat. “Pay special attention to children and vulnerable people around you,” says the weather center. 

Heavy rain, hail, and gusts in the west
While the east continues to suffer from the oppressive heat, the weather in the west has already shown its other dangerous side. Violent thunderstorms caused chaos in Tyrol on Sunday evening. Heavy rain and hail fell in the Oberland and the Zillertal. A lightning strike set a forest on fire, mudslides occurred, and roads were flooded.

The situation was particularly dramatic in the Kaunertal: Around 200 people were temporarily stranded, and the cell phone network went down. Rescue teams plan to assess the situation again on Monday morning with reconnaissance and rescue flights. In the Zillertal Valley as well, heavy hail made rescue operations considerably more difficult.

And even today, there is no relief in sight: On Monday, it will once again be sweltering in the east—with temperatures reaching up to 39 degrees. In the far east, temperatures could even reach up to 40 degrees in some areas. At the same time, the risk of thunderstorms is increasing significantly from the west. Locally, there is a risk of heavy rain, gusty winds, and renewed severe weather. The heat is not expected to ease off much until Tuesday night—though it will remain exceptionally warm in the east.