In terms of the measured air temperature, the Austrian overall annual average for 2024 – including the forecasts for August – is already 3.8 degrees above the annual average from 1961 to 1990. According to Geosphere Austria, only two above-average or four averagely cold autumn and winter months can change this value to such an extent that the previous highs from 2023 and 2018 (about 2.5 degrees above the 1961-1990 average) are not exceeded.
Even a cold December, which was relatively warm in 2023 at 0.8 degrees above the all-time average, could not depress the annual average in 2024 too much. Third place in the measurement history is therefore in all probability unassailable in 2024 – whether it will even be second or first place will become clear in the course of the end of the year. In any case, the five warmest years in the measurement history are only years from the recent past, with 2023, 2018, 2014, 2022 and 2019.
As far as the previous records for tropical nights per year are concerned, these were already equaled or exceeded in the state capitals of St. Pölten, Eisenstadt and Graz by mid-August. In Eisenstadt alone, the number of tropical nights this year is 23 (as of August 16), which is already four nights above the previous record year of 2015.
In Graz, the previous record of nine tropical nights from 2013 has been at least equalled this year with nine, but is likely to be exceeded – Geosphere Austria expects the heat to continue in eastern Austria until next Monday, after which it should cool down.
This year, Vienna had the most tropical nights in comparison to other state capitals: As of August 16, the Innere Stadt weather station recorded 37. The highest value here was in 2018 and 2019, with 41 each – it is questionable whether this record will be set this year. As Geosphere Austria climatologist Alexander Orlik explained in an interview with APA, another hot weekend is still possible this summer. The Innere Stadt station also had the most tropical nights in a row in 1994 – back then, the thermometer never fell below 20 degrees for 17 nights in a row.
2024-08-17 06:25:00