Tyrol expands climate maps to cover 75 percent of population

Tyrol has expanded its regional climate analysis to include the regions of Lienz, Reutte, Kitzbühel and St. Johann, ORF reported Thursday. Information on heat exposure and cold-air supply is now digitally available to 75 percent of the population.

Most of Tyrol’s valley floors that are particularly affected by heat are now covered, according to the provincial government. The climate maps, created in 2025, provide detailed information on regional heat hotspots.

The maps show daytime heat exposure, nighttime heat stress and cooling through cold-air flows. They also indicate where cold air forms and which areas are important for nighttime cooling.

“If climatic conditions are taken into account when planning buildings and settlements, natural cooling can be used in a targeted way, for example through the right positioning and orientation of buildings,” said Josef Geisler, the provincial councillor responsible for spatial planning.

The analysis also shows how strongly sealed surfaces and densely built-up areas heat up on warm days. Climate Protection Councillor René Zumtobel said the information was particularly relevant to municipalities, planning associations and the construction industry, but that private individuals could also use the maps. Their level of detail covers areas as small as 25 square metres.

Shading measures and vegetation can also be incorporated into planning at an early stage.

The maps available through tirisMaps do not show current day-to-day conditions and do not change. Instead, they depict heat exposure and nighttime cooling during a summer heatwave day.