Austria set for severe thunderstorms amid 34C heatwave
Last week's heatwave looks set to last into the coming days in Austria, with the start of the week bringing severe thunderstorms and temperatures up to 34C.
Saturday and Sunday brought scorching temperatures to Austria - with the mercury even hitting the 37C mark in some regions - and the current hot spell shows no sign of letting up in the early part of this week.
Highs of between 28 and 34C are expected on Monday, with thunder and heavy showers expected in the western and northwestern parts of the country throughout the morning, making way for sunshine in the afternoon.
In the south and southwest, the outlook is set to be a lot brighter and sunnier, though the influence of a high-pressure ridge over the Mediterranean and a low-pressure zone over Scandinavia is likely to lead to hot temperatures and humidity.
READ ALSO: Heatwave - Austria braces for temperatures up to 37C
This also means a high likelihood of severe weather in the mountainous regions of the country, with weather experts warning of heavy rain showers, thunder and lightning throughout the day. In the region of Tyrol, a red weather warning - the highest of Austria's alerts for severe weather events - was in place on Monday morning.
Though temperatures will cool slightly later in the week, Tuesday and Wednesday will see a continuation of high temperatures and thunderstorms, meteorologists predict.
"Due to numerous weather disturbances passing through Austria, showers and thunderstorms will form in the unstable air up to and including Wednesday," explained Manfred Spatzierer, chief meteorologist at the Severe Weather Center. "Due to the strong high-altitude winds, these can often be strong, especially from Vorarlberg through Tyrol and Carinthia to southern Styria."
Tuesday is set to kick off with dramatic weather - especially in the eastern side of the Alps - with isolated thunderstorms, showers and heavy gusts of wind expected throughout the day. Those hoping for some respite after the soaring temperatures of the weekend may also have to keep their fan running a little bit longer, as the mercury could still reach up to 33C until the middle of the week.
Wednesday is set to bring with it the heaviest storms of the week so far, with most parts of the country struck by heavy rain showers and thunder throughout the day.
READ ALSO: How to avoid getting heat exhaustion in Austria's scorching weather
However, the disturbances are likely to freshen up the air after days of high pressure and humidity, bringing a noticeable cooling of temperatures with fresh gusts of wind on Thursday and Friday. In general, the weather will be much milder, with lighter rain-showers and temperatures of between 23 and 31C predicted.
"Although showers are still to be expected in the mountains, and thunderstorms in the south, from today's point of view they will pose a much lower risk of severe weather," said Spatzierer.
The eastern regions will see the warmest spells throughout the day.
By Friday, things are likely to cool off even further, and the mercury is unlikely to reach above 29C, even in the hotter eastern regions of the country. In most places, highs of between 24 and 28C are expected.
The severe weather is likely to have subsided in most regions by the end of the week, though residents living in the region between Flachgau and Mühlviertel should still carry an umbrella as some isolated storms and heavy rain showers are expected.
European heatwave
While people in Austria continue to swelter on Monday, the Mediterranean regions of southern Spain, Italy and Greece are still in the grip of a scorching heatwave. Temperatures of between 35 and 45C are currently the norm, with the mercury even soaring to 48C in Sicily.
Meteorologists even expect that two European heat records will be broken this week: an all-time high temperature of 41C in Rome and the all-time European high of 48.8C.
According to a study released last week by researchers at Oxford University, Austria ranks among 10 countries worldwide that are particularly badly prepared for the effects of climate change.
With the Alpine nation historically better adapted to extreme cold, the increase in "uncomfortably hot days" is likely to place strain on the country's infrastructure, the report revealed.
Housing presents a particularly significant challenges as Austrian apartment buildings and houses are unequipped for extreme heat, with no windows that can be darkened from outside, no natural ventilation and no ceiling fans, for example.
READ ALSO: Austria 'dangerously unprepared' for increase in temperatures due to climate change
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Saturday and Sunday brought scorching temperatures to Austria - with the mercury even hitting the 37C mark in some regions - and the current hot spell shows no sign of letting up in the early part of this week.
Highs of between 28 and 34C are expected on Monday, with thunder and heavy showers expected in the western and northwestern parts of the country throughout the morning, making way for sunshine in the afternoon.
In the south and southwest, the outlook is set to be a lot brighter and sunnier, though the influence of a high-pressure ridge over the Mediterranean and a low-pressure zone over Scandinavia is likely to lead to hot temperatures and humidity.
READ ALSO: Heatwave - Austria braces for temperatures up to 37C
This also means a high likelihood of severe weather in the mountainous regions of the country, with weather experts warning of heavy rain showers, thunder and lightning throughout the day. In the region of Tyrol, a red weather warning - the highest of Austria's alerts for severe weather events - was in place on Monday morning.
Though temperatures will cool slightly later in the week, Tuesday and Wednesday will see a continuation of high temperatures and thunderstorms, meteorologists predict.
"Due to numerous weather disturbances passing through Austria, showers and thunderstorms will form in the unstable air up to and including Wednesday," explained Manfred Spatzierer, chief meteorologist at the Severe Weather Center. "Due to the strong high-altitude winds, these can often be strong, especially from Vorarlberg through Tyrol and Carinthia to southern Styria."
Tuesday is set to kick off with dramatic weather - especially in the eastern side of the Alps - with isolated thunderstorms, showers and heavy gusts of wind expected throughout the day. Those hoping for some respite after the soaring temperatures of the weekend may also have to keep their fan running a little bit longer, as the mercury could still reach up to 33C until the middle of the week.
Wednesday is set to bring with it the heaviest storms of the week so far, with most parts of the country struck by heavy rain showers and thunder throughout the day.
READ ALSO: How to avoid getting heat exhaustion in Austria's scorching weather
However, the disturbances are likely to freshen up the air after days of high pressure and humidity, bringing a noticeable cooling of temperatures with fresh gusts of wind on Thursday and Friday. In general, the weather will be much milder, with lighter rain-showers and temperatures of between 23 and 31C predicted.
"Although showers are still to be expected in the mountains, and thunderstorms in the south, from today's point of view they will pose a much lower risk of severe weather," said Spatzierer.
The eastern regions will see the warmest spells throughout the day.
By Friday, things are likely to cool off even further, and the mercury is unlikely to reach above 29C, even in the hotter eastern regions of the country. In most places, highs of between 24 and 28C are expected.
The severe weather is likely to have subsided in most regions by the end of the week, though residents living in the region between Flachgau and Mühlviertel should still carry an umbrella as some isolated storms and heavy rain showers are expected.
European heatwave
While people in Austria continue to swelter on Monday, the Mediterranean regions of southern Spain, Italy and Greece are still in the grip of a scorching heatwave. Temperatures of between 35 and 45C are currently the norm, with the mercury even soaring to 48C in Sicily.
Meteorologists even expect that two European heat records will be broken this week: an all-time high temperature of 41C in Rome and the all-time European high of 48.8C.
According to a study released last week by researchers at Oxford University, Austria ranks among 10 countries worldwide that are particularly badly prepared for the effects of climate change.
With the Alpine nation historically better adapted to extreme cold, the increase in "uncomfortably hot days" is likely to place strain on the country's infrastructure, the report revealed.
Housing presents a particularly significant challenges as Austrian apartment buildings and houses are unequipped for extreme heat, with no windows that can be darkened from outside, no natural ventilation and no ceiling fans, for example.
READ ALSO: Austria 'dangerously unprepared' for increase in temperatures due to climate change
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