Austria hits record temperature for second day running, as east reaches 41.2 C
Austria has broken its national heat record for the second day in a row as a brutal heatwave scorches eastern Europe.
On Wednesday, the town of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg [Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, Niederösterreich] near the Slovak border hit 41.2°C (106.2°F), according to national weather service GeoSphere Austria [GeoSphere Austria]. That topped Tuesday’s record of 41.0°C set in Vienna. a9bb
The new mark is part of a wider extreme heat event moving east across the continent. Scientists say such heatwaves would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused climate change, which has made nights like this 100 times more likely than 20 years ago.
Across Austria, other regions also sweltered. Langenlebarn in Lower Austria reached 39.9°C, while Innsbruck hit 38.7°C. In Upper Austria, Enns, Linz and Wels saw 38.2°C. Officials warn the heat is putting hospitals, power grids and vulnerable people under strain, with little relief at night. beab
Neighboring countries are also in crisis mode. Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic have issued red alerts, and authorities are urging people to stay hydrated, avoid midday sun and save water.