Spring 2024 was the hottest in the history of measurement :: wetter.at

According to preliminary results issued by Geosphere Austria, this spring was the warmest since records began. This is the third extremely hot season in a row.

Recording temperatures in the lowlands and mountains

In the lowlands, temperatures in spring 2024 were 1.9 degrees Celsius higher than the average for the climatic period from 1991 to 2020. A significant rise was also recorded in the summit regions, where temperatures were 1.6 degrees above the long-term average. This means third place in a series of mountain measurements that has lasted 174 years.

Unusually high rainfall

Spring precipitation in 2024 was 20 percent above average, while sunshine hours were nine percent below average. This combination led to exceptional weather conditions.

Historical comparative values ​​and climate trends

The ten warmest springs since the Lowland measurement series began in 1767 have almost all occurred in recent years. Among the hottest years, 2024, 2007 and 2018 were particularly notable. Alexander Orlik, a climate scientist at Geosphere, emphasized that extremely hot springs used to be rare outliers, while they are now more common.

Impact on nature

A period of cold weather in the second half of April slowed plant growth and led to frost damage to grape and apricot crops. However, the previous warm months have accelerated plant growth, with some plants reaching their earliest flowering date since records began in 1946.

Rainfall amounts and regional differences

Spring 2024 was the fifth wet season in a row. On average, rainfall was about 20 percent above the long-term average. However, regional differences were clearly visible: while the lowlands of Tyrol and parts of Salzburg experienced average to slightly dry conditions, they were noticeably wetter in western and southern Austria.

Storms and hurricanes

On 21 May 2024, tornadoes occurred in Graz-Eigenberg (Styria) and Shattendorf (Burgenland), which had wind speeds of up to 120 km/h and caused damage. Tornadoes are more common in Austria than is generally assumed. Since 1998, systematic analyzes have been performed showing that there are an average of four hurricanes per year.