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WEATHER

190,000 lightning strikes: Storms cause chaos in Austria, with more on the way

Austria’s recent summer storms have been so intense that they're making headlines - and more are forecast on the way. 

Published: 16 July 2024 12:20 CEST
190,000 lightning strikes: Storms cause chaos in Austria, with more on the way
(Photo: Carrie Borgen / Unsplash)

Weather service UBIMET recorded over 190,000 lightning strikes across the country on Saturday – the highest number on record this year. 

Accompanying hail, rain and wind also caused chaos across the country. 

More than 5,000 acres of agricultural land were ‘completely devastated’ by hailstones in the state of Vorarlberg, costing local farmers approximately 1.2 million euros. 

In Styria, flooding caused significant numbers of residents to be evacuated near Krottendorf-Gaisfeld, southwest of Graz. 

On Friday, emergency services across the Salzburg region were deluged with calls as rivers burst and landslides blocked roads. 

More storms coming

While conditions are mostly fine and warm across the country on Tuesday, meteorologists warn that more severe weather is on the way. 

ORF’s weather portal indicates that storms may develop across Upper Styria and Lower Austria as the day progresses, despite the heat. 

Styria, Lower Austria and Carinthia will continue to be the focus of more storms, centred mainly on alpine areas into Wednesday, before the country gets another respite on Thursday and Friday. 

The weekend may see the return of storms and hail across much of the country. 

Austria’s Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) also regularly issues severe weather warnings via their website, and you can see current warnings in effect here. 

How do I keep myself (and my home) safe from severe weather? 

Much of the advice to stay safe when severe strikes in Austria is simple common sense – however, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

First, Austria’s alpine geography, and the concentration of communities and roads along river valleys means that driving can be a far riskier proposition thanks to the threat of flash flooding and landslides. 

Knowing this, when faced with the prospect of severe weather, it’s highly recommended to stay put and keep your car parked in a secure spot. 

READ MORE: How to protect yourself during storm season in Austria

Second, a considerable number of Austrian homes have cellars – something not as common in other countries. 

In areas close to rivers or lakes, or close to mountains, cellars can quickly become flooded when rivers burst their banks, or landslides occur. 

While storms – particularly in the summer – can be quite intense, it’s a very good idea to stay out of the cellar during these conditions. 

As for your home, there’s not much you can do when faced with extreme natural conditions – but you can prepare for the worst.

Homeowner or building insurance (‘Eigenheimversicherung’) is obligatory in Austria, while household or home contents insurance (‘Haushaltversicherung’) is not.

Home insurance covers the structure and fittings of your home, while contents cover your possessions. 

READ MORE: Haushaltversicherung: How does Austria’s home insurance work?

If you are renting, home insurance will be taken out by your landlord. 

Many insurance will offer both home and contents insurance as a package. 

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WEATHER

Austria set for late summer heatwave with temperatures to rise above 30C

As the summer season gives way to autumn, Austria was set to experience record-breaking heat, with temperatures consistently exceeding 30C this week and no immediate end in sight.

Published: 28 August 2024 09:44 CEST
Austria set for late summer heatwave with temperatures to rise above 30C

As summer draws to a close, there’s no sign of cooler weather on the horizon. The forecast for the weekend and beyond predicts temperatures well above 30C, with plenty of sunshine, especially in eastern Austria, which is expected to be a hotspot.

In recent days, much of the country has experienced a brief respite from the heat. For example, from Vorarlberg to the Waldviertel, maximum temperatures on Monday hovered around 20C. Even in the east and south, where temperatures exceeded 30C in some areas, it was still cooler than the previous weekend.

However, the coming days will see high pressure building from the Mediterranean across the Alps to the Baltic Sea, bringing the heat back across Austria. Temperatures are expected to reach or exceed 30C in all states, with sunny weather prevailing.

READ ALSO: Six places near Vienna to escape the heat

Wednesday will begin with fog and low clouds drifting from Bavaria and the Czech Republic in some areas. Later in the day, spring clouds may appear, and isolated showers and thunderstorms could develop in the mountains.

Despite this, most of the country will remain dry. With light to moderate winds from the east to south, which may be brisk in the Danube region, daytime temperatures in Burgenland will range from 25C to 33C. At higher altitudes, such as on the main ridge of the Tyrolean Alps, temperatures could reach up to 19C.

Thursday is expected to be very hot, with most of the day remaining sunny. Morning temperatures of 15C to 20C will rise to 25C to 34C by the afternoon, mainly affecting the eastern regions.

READ ALSO: Five Austrian destinations you can reach by train to escape the heat

However, cumulus clouds may form in some areas during the afternoon, leading to a few localised showers and thunderstorms, particularly in Salzburg, East Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria, and the Lower Austrian Alpine foothills. Squalls could accompany some of this precipitation, though winds will be generally light.

Friday will bring more hot and sunny weather, with temperatures again reaching highs of 25C to 34C degrees. Clouds may develop in the afternoon and evening, particularly in the west, potentially bringing thunderstorms.

Saturday will see high temperatures and rain in Austria (screenshot: GeoSphere Austria)

The intense heat will persist on Saturday, with temperatures ranging from 26C to 35C. Sunshine will dominate across Austria, though afternoon showers and thunderstorms are possible in the Rätikon and Zillertal Alps regions, accompanied by light to moderate winds from the northeast to southeast.

Sunday, the beginning of September and the meteorological autumn, will be another hot day. Temperatures are expected to reach around 35C in the east and 27C to 33C in most parts of Austria. Sunshine will again be prevalent, though there will also be some high, translucent clouds. Spring clouds, showers, and thunderstorms may return from Vorarlberg to western Upper Styria.

It remains uncertain how long this heatwave will last. The east of Austria will likely remain hot at the start of next week, coinciding with the beginning of the school year, while cooler air could reach western Austria early in the week. 

The current temperatures are approaching Austria’s September records, with the highest being 36.0 degrees recorded in Pottschach, Lower Austria, on 1st September 2015, according to the GeoSphere Austria climate portal.

READ NEXT: How Austria plans to protect the public during heatwaves this summer

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