Meteorologist Andreas Jäger warns that the current extreme heat and drought are just the beginning. 'We will have to fully adapt to new conditions,' he says.
Austrian meteorologist and climate expert Andreas Jäger has drawn significant attention with his statement that this summer is likely the coldest we will experience in the next 300 years. In an interview with the Austrian television station Tirol TV, Jäger delivered a grim forecast based on already visible, dramatic climate changes.
"This is probably the coldest summer in the next 300 years," Jäger stated, explaining that this year's weather troubles are not an isolated event but a new trend. "Climate change is not a figment of the imagination, but stubborn physics!" he added.
His warning comes amid a summer that has hit Austria with extreme heat and catastrophic drought. According to data from the Austrian meteorological service GeoSphere Austria, precipitation from January to June this year was 27 percent below the long-term average. In some Austrian federal states, the water balance was the driest since records began in 1885.
Statistical data for 2025 show that Austria continues to warm significantly. The average temperature was 7.9 degrees Celsius, which is 2.1 degrees above the climate average for the period from 1961 to 1990. At the same time, precipitation was about 17 percent lower than the long-term average. Heatwaves now last an average of seven days longer than in 1960, an increase of as much as 140 percent.
Jäger emphasizes that it is crucial for society to adapt to new conditions, especially regarding water supply. The closed snow cover and glaciers, which act like natural water reservoirs, are melting earlier due to higher temperatures, altering the country's water balance. "We truly have dramatic climate change. We will have to fully adapt to new conditions. The way we've been doing things is no longer sustainable," Jäger warned during a lecture for the Tyrolean Insurance Company.
He stressed that adaptation is not only about agriculture but also about drinking water supply, energy production, industry, and tourism. He sees better soil protection to retain moisture, such as year-round ground cover, as a key solution.
The Austrian expert does not expect a quick return to previous climate conditions. "Basically, we haven't reached the end of the rise yet. We're still not ready to brake, globally and as a society. Until we do, things will continue on an upward trajectory," he said. Despite the bleak forecast, Jäger believes in the power of the individual: "We have far more power to act than we think."
As examples of personal contributions, he cited cycling more often, walking, reducing meat consumption, and being more conscious about air travel and clothing. His final message is clear: "In any case, we will have to live with what we have now."
