July 2025 fell short of summer expectations in Austria. Frequent rain and persistent cloud cover left many feeling like summer never really arrived.
According to GeoSphere Austria, precipitation was 42% above long-term average, making it the wettest July since 2012 and one of the top five wettest since 1961. Sunshine was also scarce, with 27% fewer hours than normal, making it the dullest July since 1979 and among the 15 least sunny Julys since 1925.
The reason behind this dreary weather was a series of low-pressure systems moving across Austria from the west and northwest, bringing repeated rainfall and dense cloud cover. In Bregenz, a new record was set with 401 mm of rain, surpassing the 1955 record and measuring 120% above long-term average —a clear example of the extreme conditions this summer.
Science Spotlight: Climate Change and Rising Rainfall
Austria’s record-setting rain in July 2025—like the 401 mm measured in Bregenz—isn’t just bad luck. It reflects a broader scientific trend: heavy rainfall is getting more intense as the climate warms.
According to a study by GeoSphere Austria and partners,
- Hourly rain extremes have increased by about 15% since 1980
- Daily extremes are up 8% since the 1990s
This makes sense scientifically. A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture—about 7% more per degree Celsius of warming—based on the Clausius–Clapeyron principle. Austria has already warmed by nearly 2 °C, giving storms more water to work with. As a result, intense downpours like those seen this July are likely to become more common in the future.
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