Will we soon have a Mediterranean climate in the city? Current satellite images show how Vienna and the surrounding area are drying up. The corn crop is practically lost. Still, it could get much worse.
Meanwhile, the extreme drought is visible all over the city: withered, brown meadows as far as the eye can see, not only in the Angelibad in Floridsdorf and in the fields of the city. The Danube Island is now more of a large sandy area.
Satellite images from August 2021 and August 2022 show it clearly: Lush greenery in and around Vienna is increasingly turning into sandy beige. The drought causes problems for nature and especially for agriculture in and around Vienna. Fruit literally burns in front of our eyes in the local fields.
“Harvest yields are already partly lost”
Franz Windisch, chairman of the Vienna Chamber of Agriculture, can hardly remember such a dry year: “It is certainly heading for extreme events.” The consequences are disastrous. “Maize is in the cellar, a lot is lost. In the best case scenario, an average yield can be expected for soybeans,” says Windisch. But only if it rains heavily. The sugar beet is (still!) standing firm, vegetables in the greenhouse are under “stress”, wine has to be harvested earlier this year.
“Our problem is the drought, not the heat. Nothing works without water,” the president said. Due to the lack of continuous rainfall, the forests in the city have dried up enormously. There is a risk of wildfires and as a result, barbecues in public areas have been banned since June 30.
Climate researchers paint a bleak picture
Georg Pistotnik, a climate researcher at ZAMG, draws a bleak forecast: “These long, hot and dry phases are actually not normal, but they will become more frequent. We must prepare for them now,” he warned. According to the meteorologist, this summer also a good chance to be in the top 3 of the hottest summers since the start of the weather records, with the years 2003 and 2015.
When will the long-awaited rain come? No sustained precipitation is in sight for the eastern lowlands in the coming days. Unfortunately!
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
