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Climate status report: Second warmest year since measurements began 255 years ago

The climate status report, which is prepared annually on behalf of the Climate and Energy Fund and the federal states, shows that the past year 2022 was exceptionally warm in Austria and relatively little precipitation fell. The local glaciers were particularly badly affected by this combination of heat and low precipitation: high summer temperatures (in the mountains, 2022 was the fourth warmest summer since measurements began), low snow cover and high amounts of Saharan dust caused the glaciers to melt quickly. In addition to heat and drought, the year was characterized by a few severe storms with mudslides and floods.

The Austrian glaciers lost an average of three meters of ice in 2022, which was about twice as much as the average of the past 30 years. The effects of glacial retreat do not only affect the high mountains. The melting ice and thawing permafrost lead to falling rocks, rock falls and mudslides, thereby endangering the environment
(Ski) tourism, the alpine infrastructure and safety in the alpine region. The shrinking glaciers also have an impact on the water cycle, biodiversity, shipping and the energy industry and make rapid adaptation measures necessary - especially in the areas of water management, disaster control and tourism.

The climate status report 2022 - results / events in brief

Extremely high temperatures, little snowfall and strong radiation led to massive glacier retreat in 2022. The entire previous year was extraordinarily warm with an Austria-wide average temperature of +8,1 °C. March was exceptionally low in precipitation and extremely sunny. Over the year the sun shone for around 1750 hours. In the Austrian average area, around 940 mm of precipitation fell over the year, which corresponds to a mean deviation of minus 12 percent with large regional differences.

On June 28, violent storms caused the largest flood in the last three decades in Arriach and Treffen (Carinthia). The enormous amounts of water and mudslides caused damage and destruction - the result was total damage of around 100 million euros in agriculture.

A heat wave with temperatures of up to 38 °C (Seibersdorf, Lower Austria) followed in mid-July. In Vienna, the heat caused 300 more rescue operations per day than usual.

While extremely heavy rain flooded streets and buildings in the west (Rhine Valley) in mid-August, the persistent drought in the east caused low levels in lakes and groundwater. Lake Neusiedl (Burgenland) reached its lowest water level since 1965. Lake Zicksee, also in Burgenland, dried up completely in 2022.

In October 2022, for the first time, a tropical night was recorded in which the temperature did not drop below 20 °C. In addition, October is recorded as the warmest.

The year also ended with unusually high temperatures, which caused a significant lack of snow in the ski areas.

To the climate status report Austria

The annual climate status report Austria is prepared by the Climate Change Center Austria (CCCA) in cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) and GeoSphere Austria - Federal Institute for Geology, Geophysics, Climatology and Meteorology on behalf of the climate and energy fund and all nine federal states . It shows what adjustment options and options for action are available to prevent or mitigate negative consequences in the areas most affected.

The entire report is available for download here:

Climate status report: Massive glacier retreat shaped 2022 – Climate and Energy Fund

Second warmest year since measurements began 255 years ago

https://www.klimafonds.gv.at/publication/klimastatusbericht2022/
https://ccca.ac.at/wissenstransfer/klimastatusbericht/klimastatusbericht-2022

All previous reports are below https://ccca.ac.at/wissenstransfer/klimastatusbericht accessible.

Written by Option

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