Austria Climate

Climate of Austria

Austria is under the influence of a temperate climate, but due to its location and varied relief there are local climatic differences.

The northern and eastern parts of the country, including the Vienna area, have a Pannonian (Pannonian Basin) climate, influenced by continental air masses. It is characterized by hot summers and moderate, not particularly cold winters. Rainfall is low, in the range of 500 mm - 800 mm per year, with snow in winter. Temperatures in the warmest months range from 25°C - 30°C, while in the coldest months they drop to a few degrees below 0°C.

The mountainous regions have an alpine climate. It is characterized by climatic stackedness, where air temperatures are determined by the height of the terrain above sea level, the higher it is, the colder it is. Summers are usually short with heavy rainfall, while winters are long, cold and snowy. The average annual precipitation in mountainous areas is above 1,000 mm. The higher up you go, the precipitation is also higher, reaching 2,000 mm. They mainly occur in the form of snow, which persists for most of the year, and on some peaks never melts. In summer, the temperature in the lower parts of the mountains reaches 10°C, while in the higher parts it remains below 0°C. In winter, the mercury bar can drop to around -10°C, and high in the mountains to -20°C. A certain peculiarity here is the "fen" - a gusty, warm and dry wind occurring most often in late winter or spring.

In the northwest and west of Austria the prevailing climate is temperate under the influence of Atlantic air masses. It causes summers to be warm (with temperatures around 25°C - 30°C) and humid. In winter, the mercury column falls several degrees below 0°C, and snowfall may also occur. Annual precipitation generally exceeds 1,000 mm.