Spring-like temperatures in Austria: The winter was too mild!

Spring-like temperatures in Austria: The winter was too mild!

In a remarkable weather phenomenon, Styria's Mooslandl reached a breathtaking 20.6 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, an unusually high value for this time of year. According to GeoSphere Austria, this temperature was measured around 3 p.m. when the sun was shining. The thermometer in Austria could also rise to 22 degrees in the coming days, heralding spring ahead of schedule. The report from Krone.at highlights that spring warmth is expected to reach all of Austria, while Saharan dust could even cause milky white skies, especially from Friday.

But while many are enjoying the rising temperatures, winter 2022/23 raises questions. According to the preliminary climate balance from GeoSphere Austria, the winter in the lowlands of Austria was 1.6 degrees above average, making it one of the warmest winters in 256 years. The dryness was particularly noticeable: MyDistrict.at reported that many regions had up to 80 percent fewer snow days than average. These winter extreme values ​​are also reflected in the uneven distribution of precipitation, with western Austria being up to 60 percent drier than usual. Still, there were some regions, including parts of Upper Styria, that were surprised with sudden amounts of snow - a rare sight.

The trend towards milder and drier winters could be alarming as it points to deeper climate changes in Europe. Climatologist Alexander Orlik describes this winter as the driest in 28 years, underscoring the need to understand the long-term effects of such extreme weather conditions.