ALL THINGS AUSTRIA

[carinthian]

Morning,

Back after a week in the UK. Presently in the middle of a significant heatwave over here. A new all time Austrian record was made in the Drau region last weekend 39.9C ! The hot spell continues into this week with 38C widely expected today in the lower Carinthian Region. On the look out for thunderstorms , as we are now on alert. Possible 40C today as the upper temperature plume nears 25C at 850mb level. Exciting weather, but this is extreme. I will remain in the shade until this evening then venture out for a ice cold Gosser beer and hopefully see some dusk lightning.

 C

Hi,

 Just reached 37c in Klagenfurt. Increases in mid -level moisture and temperature is expected to produce thunderstorm development over the mountains later this evening. Almost anywhere, but initially will be looking out towards the NW. Intense heat today in the Sud Tirol likely to produce isolated violent storms.  Will keep you posted of any storms in the locally after returned from the pub this evening.

C

[carinthian]

Cool.

 

What do you do over there C?

 

If you do not mind me asking

 

Would love to live high in the Alps - spectacular scenery, good beer and skiing! Not sure the misses would be too impressed though!

 

Hi, Not a lot now. A bit of ski and mountain hosting. I worked in meteorology for a number of years back in the UK and Canada.. Love the mountains and the village. My wife is the bread winner in the pharmaceutical industry.

Yep, the scenery, ski-ing and beer is my pleasure !( not forgetting the weather )

C

[carinthian]

Morning,

Back after a week in the UK. Presently in the middle of a significant heatwave over here. A new all time Austrian record was made in the Drau region last weekend 39.9C ! The hot spell continues into this week with 38C widely expected today in the lower Carinthian Region. On the look out for thunderstorms , as we are now on alert. Possible 40C today as the upper temperature plume nears 25C at 850mb level. Exciting weather, but this is extreme. I will remain in the shade until this evening then venture out for a ice cold Gosser beer and hopefully see some dusk lightning.

 C

 

Very warm evening. Clear sky but some lightning activity way out west.

 

C

[ANYWEATHER]

Very warm evening. Clear sky but some lightning activity way out west.

 

C

Very interesting stuff. please keep us posted! 

[carinthian]

Last nights storms were confired to the extreme west. Another hot sunny day. The extreme heat peaks today in the Karten region with temperatures expected to be 38c to 40 c, close to the all time Austrian record.  Tomorrow sees the last day of the extreme heat with cooler conditions set to spread from the west during Friday with widespread thunderstorms. Temperatures are likely to drop between 10/15 C at all levels by the end of the week.

Again, later to today isolated intense storms could develop in the mountains. Will be on the look out this evening for signs of activity.

C

[carinthian]

Last nights storms were confired to the extreme west. Another hot sunny day. The extreme heat peaks today in the Karten region with temperatures expected to be 38c to 40 c, close to the all time Austrian record.  Tomorrow sees the last day of the extreme heat with cooler conditions set to spread from the west during Friday with widespread thunderstorms. Temperatures are likely to drop between 10/15 C at all levels by the end of the week.

Again, later to today isolated intense storms could develop in the mountains. Will be on the look out this evening for signs of activity.

C

 Latest temp from Klagenfurt, 37c. Some storm activity now breaking out to the west in parts of the Tirol and Salzburgerland.

Hopefully, should get a good lightning display to report later.

C

[carinthian]

The last day of the great heat, 40C possible in the extreme SE of Austria. The fault zone edges in from the NW with the arrival of much needed cooler temperatures and associated thunderstorm activity now happening in the Salzburg province. The heat over the past 7 days has been overwhelming.

C

[BornFromTheVoid]

What kind of temps have you had yourself, carinthian? How is it affecting the snow cover?

[carinthian]

What kind of temps have you had yourself, carinthian? How is it affecting the snow cover?

 

Hi,

Approching 40c in the extreme SE now !. Here at altitude (1640m ) we have been close to 30c  during this extreme hot spell.

Looking out towards the Hohe Tauren ( Gross Glockner range ) the only snow visible above the heat haze is above 3000m. Current temp on the highest glaciers around 10c. The upper air temp values are really high at the moment. I expect the hottest day on record in Austria to be surpassed in the next hour . Crazy heat !

 C

[Interitus]

Seems a possible new record of 40.0°C at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg so far.

 

A number of other stations are close so it could go higher yet, and numerous new local records.

Quite a phenomenal spell of summer weather, after setting a new June maximum record, the driest, sunniest and 2nd warmest July which reached half a degree from the all time daily maximum record, now August has seen two new all-time maximum records.

Edited August 8, 2013 by Interitus

[Interitus]

Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reached 40.5°C and there is a report of 40.6° from Neusiedl plus another of 40.0°C from Güssing and numerous local and regional records

 

- http://www.zamg.ac.at/cms/de/klima/news/erstmals-ueber-40deg-c

[ANYWEATHER]

How is the glaciers responding to this heat?

[carinthian]

Bad Deutsch-Altenburg reached 40.5°C and there is a report of 40.6° from Neusiedl plus another of 40.0°C from Güssing and numerous local and regional records

 

- http://www.zamg.ac.at/cms/de/klima/news/erstmals-ueber-40deg-c

 

Yep,quite amazing temperatures. The 40.6c should be confimed tomorrow, but looking at the number of locations breaking 40c for the first time ever, its on the cards that this temp will be correct.

 

C

[carinthian]

Morning,

first snow of the summer !

 

c

[SteveB]

Wow, how quickly it can change, only a couple of weeks ago it was near 40c

[Weather Boy]

Hi,

 Funnily enough we can get snow at anytime of the year above 1500m. At the begining of June we still had snow in parts of the village. Last September and October was vey warm here with little snowfall. Generally , snow starts to accumulate from Mid- November.

c

 

Two years ago (or was it last year) I was in Rauris, Salzburg region, in August which has an elevation of 945m asl.  The cold rain really dug in and the snow line reached to what I would estimate was no more than 100-200 m above village level, so if you were there at that time, you would have had a fair covering at 1600 m odd.  Venturing up to only the middle cable car station, there was a good 6-10 cm of sludgy wet snow for the kids to enjoy.

 

The only time in my life I have ever seen snow in August.  Something of a contrast to this year!  I was in the same place again (from 2 August) and it did get very hot only to cool down dramatically about a week later.

 

So did Austria set a new all time record high temperature at just over 40C?  I am surprised that their record is not a little bit higher given that it is not far above the UK record high.  The lower lying regions to the east I would have expected to see 40C every few years, but evidently not.

[carinthian]

Two years ago (or was it last year) I was in Rauris, Salzburg region, in August which has an elevation of 945m asl.  The cold rain really dug in and the snow line reached to what I would estimate was no more than 100-200 m above village level, so if you were there at that time, you would have had a fair covering at 1600 m odd.  Venturing up to only the middle cable car station, there was a good 6-10 cm of sludgy wet snow for the kids to enjoy.

 

The only time in my life I have ever seen snow in August.  Something of a contrast to this year!  I was in the same place again (from 2 August) and it did get very hot only to cool down dramatically about a week later.

 

So did Austria set a new all time record high temperature at just over 40C?  I am surprised that their record is not a little bit higher given that it is not far above the UK record high.  The lower lying regions to the east I would have expected to see 40C every few years, but evidently not.

 

Interesting Weatherboy. I too stayed for a week last February in Rauris at the Hotel Hubertus, next to the gondola station. in fact from the top of katschberg mountain, I can sometimes see the mountains above Rauris village. It is just amazing the difference in conditions from village at 800m to top of gondola lifts at 2200m on the hockalm. Liked the village and the ski-ing.

Horrible day here today, wet windy with a lot of low cloud. However, the sun and warmth is expected to return in a couple of days.

Yes, 40.5c was the official record for the hottest day ever. Official readings started way back in the 19th century with a handful of recording. Now we have 250 official sites. Probably like back in the UK , the more observations, the more records will be broken !

c

[Weather Boy]

Interesting Weatherboy. I too stayed for a week last February in Rauris at the Hotel Hubertus, next to the gondola station. in fact from the top of katschberg mountain, I can sometimes see the mountains above Rauris village. It is just amazing the difference in conditions from village at 800m to top of gondola lifts at 2200m on the hockalm. Liked the village and the ski-ing.

Horrible day here today, wet windy with a lot of low cloud. However, the sun and warmth is expected to return in a couple of days.

Yes, 40.5c was the official record for the hottest day ever. Official readings started way back in the 19th century with a handful of recording. Now we have 250 official sites. Probably like back in the UK , the more observations, the more records will be broken !

c

 

Ah, glad you know Rauris.

 

Do you recall the August that I am referring to?  Must have been two years ago.

 

Having been to Austria for a number of years, I must say that we were due much better summer weather this year.  But then I suppose it's close enough to the UK to often have similar-ish weather and therefore if the UK has poor summers, it's not surprising that Austria does also (and the reverse).  Until this year, our summer weather has been at best changeable and sometimes poor.

 

I think the summer weather is just more extreme than the UK.  It can get to 35C relatively easily and then get really cold when the rain sets in (snow at elevations) for a couple of days or more.  I assume, though, that that is not so bad away from the mountains in the east.

[carinthian]

Ah, glad you know Rauris.

 

Do you recall the August that I am referring to?  Must have been two years ago.

 

Having been to Austria for a number of years, I must say that we were due much better summer weather this year.  But then I suppose it's close enough to the UK to often have similar-ish weather and therefore if the UK has poor summers, it's not surprising that Austria does also (and the reverse).  Until this year, our summer weather has been at best changeable and sometimes poor.

 

I think the summer weather is just more extreme than the UK.  It can get to 35C relatively easily and then get really cold when the rain sets in (snow at elevations) for a couple of days or more.  I assume, though, that that is not so bad away from the mountains in the east.

 

Hi again,

 funny enough we had an excellent summer last year and again now. Last winter was 'Wonderland ". Autumn periods seems to have been very warm in austria for the past few years. crazy as it seems, some years Venna have very little snow cover.  Yes, Rauris made news with its summer snowfall at relative low altitude.

October and November is our close season and we wait anxiously for the first covering of snow. Most of the hoteliers take a long haul holiday and a welcome rest. 

These are the best months to view the glaciers and see how they have weathered the summer /Autumn warmth.

c

[carinthian]

The sun is back out this afternoon. A good view of Gross Glockner looking SE with Austrias largest glacier, The Pasterze seen spurning down the mountain ( looking right ) there was some snowfall up there yesterday above 3000m height.

hope to make a visit next month to have a closer look at this the glacier . The alpine club produce its observations of its progressive continued decline in October.

 C 

[carinthian]

Interesting Weatherboy. I too stayed for a week last February in Rauris at the Hotel Hubertus, next to the gondola station. in fact from the top of katschberg mountain, I can sometimes see the mountains above Rauris village. It is just amazing the difference in conditions from village at 800m to top of gondola lifts at 2200m on the hockalm. Liked the village and the ski-ing.

Horrible day here today, wet windy with a lot of low cloud. However, the sun and warmth is expected to return in a couple of days.

Yes, 40.5c was the official record for the hottest day ever. Official readings started way back in the 19th century with a handful of recording. Now we have 250 official sites. Probably like back in the UK , the more observations, the more records will be broken !

c

 

Funny, here is a picture of a weather observer with his assistant. They stayed on the mountains all night long taking readings and drinking mulled wine !

c

[carinthian]

Live picture of the stuai glacier with protection sheet made with felt and plastic. The effect is more reflection and reduces ablation by 60 %. this sheet is spread out over the base of the glacier in May. Drastic actions are being experimented to find a way to halt the retreat of all glaciers in Austria.

 

[carinthian]

The provisional figures for the summer in Austria show the 6th warmest in 250 years and the 5th sunniest on record.  Locally, here in karten, one of the hottest and sunniest ever ! A truly remarkable summer,especially after such a cold start to June when the snow level was very low.

 

C

[carinthian]

Ischgl snow boat waiting for global warming !

c

[carinthian]

My first visit to Austria was in 1976 to this pretty Tirolean village of Alpbach. Fell in love with the country.

A great resort to find the charms of Austria with lovely easy ski-ing and a true gem of a traditional Alpine village.