Geosphere Austria: First Half of 2026 Was One of the Driest Since 1885
Vienna, July 14, 2026
C.Stadler/Bwag / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary
The first half of 2026 was the driest in parts of Austria since 1885. According to Geosphere Austria, around 160 liters per square meter are missing on a national average to offset the deficit.
Vienna, July 14, 2026
A half-year assessment by Geosphere Austria shows that the drought in Austria remains a massive problem: From January to June 2026, precipitation on a national average was 27 percent below the long-term mean, and in some regions of eastern Austria the deviation was as much as 50 percent.
The weather balance is serious. As Geosphere Austria announced on Tuesday, between January 1 and June 30, 2026, precipitation across Austria was 27 percent below the long-term average. A winter that was far too low on precipitation was followed by a too-warm spring and an exceptional start to summer, which further aggravated the situation.
Climatologist Alexander Orlik of Geosphere Austria, who analyzed the data, placed the current values in a longer climatological context. In 2003 and 1993, with deficits of 30 and 29 percent respectively, it was even slightly drier than in this year's first half. Low-precipitation conditions in the first six months of a year occur repeatedly in Austria — what is new, however, is the extent in individual parts of the country.
Historical Comparison Since 1885
"It has not been this low on precipitation in these areas since 1885," said Orlik. At that time, deviations of 35 percent were recorded. It had not been this low on precipitation on a national average in these parts of the federal territory since 1885, when around 35 percent less precipitation also fell.
Detailed precipitation data illustrates the regional severity. In Hohenau an der March in Lower Austria, a total of 143 millimeters of precipitation fell from January 1 to July 13. This matched the previous low from 2012 (161 millimeters). Daily precipitation data have been available in Hohenau since 1948, so this year's value stands out in the long measurement series.
Measurements from Hohenau and Salzburg
Stations in Upper Austria and the Salzburg area also show historically low values. At the measuring station at Salzburg Airport, only 321 millimeters of precipitation were measured in the first half of 2026; the long-term average is 625 millimeters. The previous low: 440 millimeters (measured 2025). Daily data have been available since 1939.
In Ried im Innkreis in Upper Austria, a total of 298 millimeters of precipitation fell from January 1 to July 13, a further indication of the extent of the drought in the Innviertel. In Kremsmünster, the previous low from 1976 (332 millimeters) was nearly matched; a comparably low value was last recorded around fifty years ago.
From the Walgau and the Montafon in Vorarlberg to the Salzburg Flachgau, the Innviertel, and the Wald- and Weinviertel, the Vienna Basin, and parts of Burgenland — the precipitation deficits range between 30 and 40 percent. In Vienna, in the Weinviertel, and in parts of Burgenland, the climatic water balance index for the past 30 days is below minus 2.5, indicating acute soil drought.
Situation in Eastern Austria
The situation in eastern Austria is drastic. There, the deviation is in some places as much as 50 percent, as meteorologist Orlik calculates. The eastern parts of the country thus combine particularly low precipitation amounts with a high evaporation rate, which further increases the agricultural and hydrological strain.
Orlik calculates what would be needed to offset the precipitation that has been missing in Austria since the beginning of the year: "It would have to rain an additional around 160 liters per square meter on average in the coming weeks. So the precipitation of an entire summer month and a further third of one is missing," Orlik compares. Concretely: "It would need to be 160 liters per square meter in the coming weeks, Orlik calculates — additionally."
Forecast: Thunderstorms Without Widespread Rain
The immediate prospects are, according to the forecasting department of Geosphere Austria, not very encouraging. In the coming days, thunderstorms are expected again and again, primarily in the west, but also in Carinthia and Styria, although no heavy, widespread precipitation. In eastern Austria, it is likely to remain largely dry.
The large-scale weather pattern provides the framework: Central Europe is currently in the midst of another pronounced heatwave that is driving daytime highs upward between Great Britain and Greece. Temperature peaks of more than 40 degrees have already been measured, and the heatwave from mid-June brought new record values at hundreds of measuring stations. The consequences have already been seen in forest fire situations in southern European neighboring countries.
Heatwave and Forest Fire Danger in Europe
The link to forest fires in other parts of Europe is coming closer. The consequence of the heatwave was devastating forest fires in Spain and France. Similar deficits in the first half of the year did occur in 1993 and 2003, but in eastern Austria the situation is extraordinary.
For agriculture and water supply, the half-year balance means a continuing burden. Soil moisture, groundwater levels, and river gauges in the affected regions remain below seasonal norms. Weather observers expect that without widespread precipitation, the deficits will continue to grow over the summer.
Geosphere Austria views the current development with concern. "The drought remains a massive problem," cautions meteorologist Alexander Orlik. Tuesday's half-year balance is merely a snapshot that could worsen significantly if rain does not come in the coming weeks.
The next interim balance is expected with the August figures. Should the forecast thunderstorms not noticeably alleviate the drought, a further intensification of the hydrological situation is to be expected, according to the meteorologists' assessment.
The report was published by the Austrian Press Agency (APA) on 7/14/2026.
Questions & Answers
Who is Alexander Orlik and what role does he play in the half-year balance?
Alexander Orlik is a climatologist and meteorologist at Geosphere Austria. He analyzed the half-year balance and publicly classified it, according to which the drought in Austria remains a massive problem.
How dry was the first half of 2026 compared to previous years?
On a national average, between January 1 and June 30, 2026, 27 percent less precipitation fell than the long-term average; only 2003 (minus 30 percent) and 1993 (minus 29 percent) were slightly drier in the first-half comparison.
Which regions of Austria are particularly affected?
Particularly affected are parts of eastern Austria with deviations of up to 50 percent, including Vienna, the Weinviertel, the Vienna Basin, and parts of Burgenland, as well as the Walgau, the Montafon, the Salzburg Flachgau, and the Innviertel with deficits between 30 and 40 percent.
Drought Austria July 2026: Half-Year Balance Geosphere | allfacts360
