June 2026 in Austria: Fourth place despite historic heat wave

Despite this record heat, June 2026 did not reach the top of the temperature statistics. As GeoSphere Austria further announced on Thursday, the month was only the fourth-warmest June in measurement history. The reason lies in the first half of the month, which pulled the monthly average down significantly.

Why June did not land in first place despite record heat

Before the heat wave set in, temperatures were—at least compared to the climate period 1991 to 2020—close to the climate average. The heat wave only began to roll in western Austria on June 17—in Bregenz, the first "30-degree" reading of the month was measured on that day. At the same time, residents in Zwettl in the Waldviertel at 502 meters above sea level woke up to a mere 3.1 degrees in the lowlands.

The heat wave intensified rapidly. By the end of the month, values in the lowlands had climbed to 40.1 degrees. New June high values were registered at 157 of 277 weather stations. At some weather stations, the heat wave in June was even stronger than any previously measured—including the heat wave in August of the century summer of 2003, which had been regarded as the benchmark until then.

In terms of peak values, June 2026 thus clearly exceeded June 2003. In terms of the monthly average, however, June 2003 was higher at all weather stations, according to the climatologists. "In summary, June 2003 was therefore on average hotter, but June 2026 surpassed it in peak values," the analysis stated.

Extreme temperature contrasts in the Alpine region

The weather extremes were also evident in the enormous temperature contrasts within Austria. The absolute low value in June was registered at the Brunnenkogel in Tyrol at 3,437 meters above sea level. On June 11, it was so cold there that fresh snow fell in the mountains.

However, the heat wave brought the country not only record temperatures but also severe storms. In Bruck an der Mur in Styria, 97 millimeters of rain fell within two hours; in Puchberg am Schneeberg, 93 millimeters within two and a half hours. The precipitation could only ease the situation briefly.

Drastic intensification of the drought

The drought intensified drastically due to the hot and low-precipitation second half of June. According to GeoSphere Austria, the drought that has persisted since December 2025 worsened significantly once again due to the heat wave, although rain fell repeatedly throughout the entire federal territory in the first half of the month.

The Chamber of Agriculture raised the alarm on Wednesday, speaking of a looming 15 percent decline in this year's grain harvest. The persistent drought since December 2025 and the extreme heat of the second half of June are massively affecting the crops, according to the chamber.

Climatologist Orlik pointed out that comparable heat waves in Austria had previously occurred exclusively in the months of July or August. "For a June, however, new standards were set," he said. This evidently means that the seasonality of extreme heat is shifting further into early summer.

Effects on agriculture and climate

The GeoSphere Austria analysis also shows that the deviations from the climate average varied greatly from region to region. While the first half of the month was close to the average of the reference period 1991 to 2020, temperatures in the second half rose well above it. At many stations, the monthly average was three to four degrees above average.

According to experts, the consequences for agriculture, forests, and water supply can only be fully assessed in the coming weeks. What is already clear, however, is that June 2026 will go down in Austria's climate chronicle as an extraordinary month—not as the warmest, but as one with the most extreme heat waves since the beginning of modern weather recording.

GeoSphere Austria intends to further refine its preliminary assessment in the coming days. Comparisons with earlier hot years and an assessment of long-term trends are also to be published. It is already certain that climate change is further increasing the likelihood of such extreme events.