Never so early: first hot day of the year measured

The earliest hot day with at least 30 degrees in a calendar year in Austria’s measurement history was recorded on Sunday. In Bruck an der Mur in Styria, exactly 30.0 degrees were reached, Geosphere Austria informed the APA. At all other measuring stations in the country, the values ​​remained below, as an update showed in the evening. As a result of global warming, very warm weather conditions are increasingly occurring early in the year, a Geosphere broadcast emphasized.

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The earliest hot day since temperatures began being measured in Austria occurred ten days earlier than the previous record. Previously, the 30 degree mark was broken for the first time in a calendar year on April 17, 1934 in the city of Salzburg. The highest temperature in Austria in April is still 32.0 degrees, measured on April 28, 2012 in Waidhofen/Ybbs.

Highest April temperature

However, some weather stations recorded the highest April temperature in their respective series of measurements on Sunday, some of which have a very long history. For example, on the Schmittenhöhe in Salzburg at 1,956 meters above sea level it was 16.9 degrees. There have been measurements here since 1895 and the old record was 16.4 degrees on April 18, 1934.

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At the same time as the earliest hot day in Austria, Bruck an der Mur equaled the hottest April day in Styria to date. This was set up in Leibnitz on April 24, 1968, also at exactly 30 degrees. In Carinthia, Lower and Upper Austria and Salzburg, 29 degrees were measured in places on Sunday. At 29.8 degrees, Dellach in the Drautal was a tenth of a degree below the hottest day in April in Carinthia so far, which was 29.9 degrees on April 7, 2011 in Pörtschach.

Exceptional temperatures

The weekend brought exceptionally high temperatures. It was around ten to 15 degrees warmer than the average first days of April, explained Geosphere Austria. In the recent past, the climate period from 1991 to 2020, the first “30s” in Austria was reached on average on May 19th, with the typical range of fluctuations ranging from the beginning of May to the beginning of June. In the climate period from 1961 to 1990, the 30 degree mark was only broken on average on May 30th, with fluctuations from mid-May to mid-June.

In addition, 204 of Geosphere Austria’s 278 weather stations recorded a summer day with at least 25 degrees on Sunday. In an average year, the first day with at least 25 degrees can be expected in the second half of April, with a statistical average of April 18th.

This article was updated at 8:15 p.m.