Storm chaos in Austria: Hail and Sturm millions of millions!

Storm chaos in Austria: Hail and Sturm millions of millions!

On June 27, 2025, Austria was affected by severe storms, which were causing massive damage in large parts of the country. The first severe weather warnings were issued on Thursday afternoon, with Styria in particular being affected. Thunderstorms moved across almost all federal states, and there were heavy rain, gusts of wind and hail in the Graz area, which resulted in numerous power outages. Events had to be canceled and festival site evacuated. So the "Woodstock of Blasmusik" was cleared in the Innviertel, and the visitors were only allowed to return in the evening.

In Lower Austria, several events, including the Wieselburg Volksfest and a appearance by Gery Seidl, were canceled. The fire brigades in this state recorded around 80 missions by the evening due to the intensive rains and gusts of wind. In Tyrol, the storm even led to fires through lightning strikes, when a flash of lightning hit a single -family house in Wörgl and caused a fire. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

damage in agriculture

The storms left considerable damage to agricultural cultures. Dr. Kurt Weinberger, CEO of the Austrian hail insurance, put the total damage in agriculture at around 9 million euros. Massive hailstones with a diameter of up to five centimeters caused serious damage to arable and grassland areas as well as fruit and trees. Above all, the affected regions in Upper Austria and Tyrol reported great damage - in Upper Austria alone on June 23 in the amount of 4.8 million euros.

A detailed damage collection documented various affected districts and the respective damage: in Lower Austria, the damage was 400,000 euros, especially in the Zwettl, Krems-Land and Waidhofen districts on the Thaya. In Styria, on the other hand, a loss of 6.2 million euros was found, especially in the Graz environment, Weiz and Leoben. In Tyrol there was damage of 2.4 million euros in districts such as Innsbruck-Land and Kitzbühel. Affected cultures included corn, fruit and vegetables - a sign of the increasing challenges that agriculture is facing.

Connection with climate change

The events of the past few days clearly illustrate the effects of climate change on agriculture in Austria. According to the second Austrian status report on climate change (AAR2), which has extensively analyzed developments since 1900, the temperature in Austria has increased by approx. 3.1 ° C, which is more than twice as strong as the global average. These increase in extreme weather events, including hailstorms, has negative consequences for agriculture, health, infrastructure and tourism.

In order to counter climate change, environmental and climate minister Norbert Tettschnig emphasizes the urgency of action. The necessary adaptation and precautionary climate protection are cheaper than coping with the damage, which is all the more relevant in view of the latest storm events. The report shows action options for realistic, socially compatible and economically sustainable development to climate neutrality. To achieve this, a complete exit from fossil fuels and a rapid electrification of all sectors are essential.

summarized, the severe storms not only show the immediate damage, but also the long -term challenges in the context of climate change that affect both agriculture and society in Austria. For many residents, the current state in the regions affected by the weather is both a challenge and a call to consider the urgency of climate protection.