The heat load is increasing in Austria

According to this, only three districts registered in 2023 a “very high” heat -tax index, in 2024 there were already 25. In 49 districts there were at least 34 heat days, considerably more than in the peak year 2019 (15 districts).

Heat -index based on heat days
The team around Hannah Schuster of Complexity Science Hub (CSH) Vienna and the Vienna Economic University (WU) has now updated the first -year presentation for the heat tax. The interactive map is a heat index for all districts and municipalities based on the number of heat days (with more than 30 degrees Celsius). In addition, a five -stage heat -tax index (from “very low” to “very high”) can be read, taking into account the proportion of elderly people (more than 65 years).

Highest heat load in 25 districts
Before 2023, the map shows the districts of Hollabrunn, Rest and Eisenstadt-Umbung Deep Red-Dat, in the area of ​​a “very high” heat-teasing index. A completely different photo shows itself last year: here, a 25 districts and legal cities of extensive arch from the eastern Waldviertel in the northern Weinviertel to Burgenland, the industrial district and the Mürztal to the south of Styria and large parts of Carinthia, where Besides Klagenfurt and Villach Stad. This color stands for the highest heat tax index.

The leader at the Heat Index
In 2024 in Burgenland, all districts had a “very high” heat index (more than 34 heat days) in Burgenland. Due to the high number of heat days and the higher proportion of elderly people, the heat -factification index was “very high” in seven of the ten Carinthian districts.

There are significant differences between West and East Eastern empire: Example for the considerably higher number of heat days and tropical nights (more than 20 degrees Celsius) in the east, Rest and Neuisiedl with 52 heat days or Wiener Neustadt (50), in contrast to Reutte (2).

From heat days and tropical nights
In 2024, sweaty in Vienna with 49 heat days and 41 tropical nights, with some districts such as Wieden, Margareten and Mariahilf that show up to 53 tropical nights. However, due to the relatively young population (only 16.4 percent for 65 years), the heat tax index was not that pronounced.

In addition to Vienna, most tropical nights were registered in Eisenstadt (33) and Roest (27). On the other hand, there were a relaxed sleep for the inhabitants of the Hermagor districts, Spittal An der Drau, Salzburg, Hallein, Sankt Johann im Pongau, Tamsweg, Zell am See, Leoben, Murtal and all districts, because the temperature there never climbed more than 20 degrees Celsius. The only district of Austria with a “very low” heat Lettling index was Dornbirn with 13 heat days and a share of 17.7 percent over 65-year-olds.

Heat tax remains
The scientists from the CSH assume that the summer of this year “will probably bring a strong heat tax again – more extensive than in previous years”. Moreover, the demographic change claims and within a few years would have considerably more regions a large part of the older ones – and therefore vulnerable people: while only about ten percent of the districts had a senior share of more than 25 percent in 2024, according to the predictions in 2050, it will be 95 percent.

Sterber Risk has tripled
This is problematic because every extra heat day, according to the research team, increases mortality by 2.4 percent per 1000 inhabitants. Heat waves, a week with more than three heat days, triple the risk of death compared to individual heat days.