Austria is glowing: Heat high Julia brings 35 degrees and more!

Austria is glowing: Heat high Julia brings 35 degrees and more!

On Wednesday, an unmistakable heat wave in Austria caused high temperatures of up to 35.1 degrees Celsius. It was scorching hot, especially in the state capitals such as Vienna and Innsbruck. In the inner city of Vienna, the thermometer climbed to comparable values, while more than 30 degrees were measured at over 210 weather stations across the country. Even in the evening of the same day, at 9:20 p.m., the temperature in Vienna was a pleasant 29.3 degrees. Only in a few regions such as Liebenau in Upper Austria, where it was 15.4 degrees, were citizens able to hide from the heat.

The so-called first heat wave of the year was triggered by Hoch Julia from the west and is expected to last until the weekend. According to krone.at, there was no severe weather warning for any federal state; instead, weather conditions remained largely stable with few clouds and a light breeze. There was no rain in sight, but there were increasing chances of thunderstorms on Thursday, especially between East Tyrol and the Mostviertel in Lower Austria.

Heat hotspots

Several heat hotspots appeared in Austria on Wednesday. The highest temperatures so far were measured in Imst at 34 degrees, followed by Leoben at 33.9 degrees. It also remained scorching hot in Vienna's city center at 33.9 degrees. From meinkreis.at it appears that the state's heat protection plan has been activated. Citizens can cool down for free in a total of 27 “climate oases” and in the Red Cross “Cooling Center”.

In addition, the AGES heat telephone is available to Austrian citizens. Those seeking advice can get valuable tips on how to better cope with the high temperatures by calling the free number 0800 880 800.

Health effects

The health risks of a heat attack should not be underestimated. Statistically speaking, mortality is subject to seasonal fluctuations, with an increase in excess mortality often being noted in Austria in the summer months. A close connection between heat waves and this excess mortality has been proven, as documented by the European system Euromomo. According to ages.at, the analysis of excess mortality also refers to temperature measurements in Austria, and new models to more precisely record heat-related mortality are in progress.

By Friday, temperatures are expected to reach between 30 and 36 degrees Celsius in most parts of the country. After a sunny bank holiday, temperatures could then drop on Saturday, although with the possibility of heavy showers. The next week will be cooler anyway, with maximum temperatures of 29 degrees, which could at least put the heat into perspective somewhat.

Despite the summer temperatures, it remains important for the population to be well informed and to take appropriate protective measures to minimize health risks.