Austria before the century: threatening dangerous records!

Austria before the century: threatening dangerous records!

Österreich, Land - Today is May 19, 2025, and meteorologists warn of one of the hottest summer since the beginning of weather records in Austria. The forecasts indicate heat waves, drought and new temperature records, not only in Austria, but also in large parts of Europe. According to Vol.at this summer is referred to as the "summer summer", since intensive high-pressure weather areas can lead to rapid temperature increases in June.

An essential factor for the expected heat is a stable high -pressure area that acts as a "Heat Dome" over Southeast Europe and brings hot air masses to Austria. This could lead to the 40-degree mark being exceeded in several regions. A first heat wave is already in sight in June. The nights bring little cooling, which is a significant burden for the population and infrastructure.

effects on water and agriculture

The persistent drought also has an impact on agriculture. In Germany, for example, the increasing drought forces farmers for artificial irrigation, while spring 2025 is the driest period since the beginning of the records in 1931. According to Deutschlandfunk report Dürremonitore of decreasing moisture in the upper floor layers, which is increasingly critical of many plants and cultures.

This drought is part of a larger climate pattern that affects large parts of Europe. Eastern Europe in particular suffers from extreme conditions, while the West experienced many precipitation in 2024 - one of the rainiest years since 1950. This can also be seen in the sunken water levels in large rivers such as the Rhine. A changing water balance, with more rain in winter and less in summer, could have a negative impact on the formation of groundwater.

urgency of the topic

The EU climate service Copernicus emphasizes in its current report that 2024 has been the hottest year since the beginning of the records and no continent heats up faster than Europe. There are clear temperature differences, especially in the east and southeast of the continent. In the Czech Republic, Poland and Spain, floods that affected more than 400,000 people occurred due to strong rainfall. At least 335 people died as a result of these extreme weather events. ZDF indicates that March 2024 has also been the warmest March since the weather records, which underlines the worrying climate trend.

In all of these developments, there is a clear urgency to take measures. Among other things, the federal government calls for solutions to restore damaged habitats and strengthen the biological diversity. The forecasts for the summer of 2025 indicate persistent heat waves until the end of August, especially in the eastern parts and cities of Austria. The challenges caused by climate change affect not only nature, but also the livelihoods of many communities.