Europe in Extremes: Austria on the Brink of a Historic Record
As Austria braces for temperatures up to 41 degrees and a possible national record, Ireland issues yellow warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain in several counties.
As Austria braces for temperatures up to 41 degrees and a possible national record, Ireland issues yellow warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain in several counties.
While central Europe faces a potentially historic heatwave, the western edge of the continent is being hit by unstable weather. Austrian meteorologists warn that the country's absolute temperature record could fall on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, while Ireland's meteorological service, Met Éireann, has issued a series of yellow warnings for thunderstorms and rain.
According to the latest forecasts, the peak of the heatwave in Austria is expected on Wednesday. Temperatures in the east and southeast of the country could reach as high as 41 degrees Celsius. Meteorologist David Kaufmann from the portal tauernwetter.at estimates that there is a significant probability that the current national record will be broken.
"We now estimate that there is a 75% chance that Austria's absolute temperature record of 40.5 degrees, measured on August 8, 2013, will fall in the coming days," Kaufmann told Heute.at, as reported by Večernji list.
Already on Tuesday, August 4, temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees at several weather stations. The hottest areas will be east of St. Pölten and Krems, as well as in northern and central Burgenland. On Wednesday, the extreme heat will spread to eastern Lower Austria, Vienna, Burgenland, and southern and eastern Styria. Meteorologists also warn of the possibility of numerous provincial records falling, and the Lavanttal and Rosental valleys in Carinthia could also approach the 40-degree mark.
Relief is expected on Thursday, August 6, when the heat will ease in most of the country, but temperatures of 38 to 39 degrees Celsius are still possible in the far east and southeast. A more noticeable drop in temperatures, almost everywhere below 30 degrees, is forecast for Friday, August 7.
Meanwhile, Ireland is dealing with completely different weather challenges. The Irish meteorological service, Met Éireann, issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for County Cork on Monday, August 3, 2026, in effect from 2:44 PM to 6:00 PM. The warning includes possible lightning strikes, heavy rain, localized flooding, and difficult road conditions.
A yellow rain warning is in effect from 5:00 PM to midnight for three counties in the east of the country: Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow. These areas are also under a warning for possible localized flooding and difficult driving conditions. Additionally, a small craft warning is in effect for the northwest of the island, from Slyne Head to Malin Head.
The UK's Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for Tuesday, August 4, for six counties in Northern Ireland: Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh, and Tyrone. This warning will be in effect from noon to 9:00 PM, and the Met Office warns of possible disruptions to transport and outdoor events.
Daytime temperatures in Ireland on Monday ranged between 19 and 24 degrees, with a nighttime minimum of around 16 degrees. On Tuesday, similar values are expected, between 18 and 23 degrees, with the possibility of thundery showers in areas of Connacht and Ulster.
