Lower Austria may see heavier rain after record dry year

Rainfall over the past few days has not ended the severe drought in Lower Austria, but ORF meteorologist Manuel Oberhuber said larger amounts could reach parts of the province over the next two weeks.

Only small amounts have fallen so far. Around one litre per square metre was recorded in the Thermenregion and the Vienna Basin. Rainfall was also very limited in the Tullnerfeld, Wachau and parts of the Weinviertel. Parts of the Mostviertel and Waldviertel received between 10 and 20 litres per square metre, while a stronger storm near Retz in the Hollabrunn district brought 40 litres.

The past 12 months were the driest in Austria since measurements began in 1850, according to data from GeoSphere Austria. Eastern Austria was particularly affected.

Oberhuber said Lower Austria would need around 200 to 300 litres of rain per square metre, depending on the region, to significantly ease the deep groundwater drought. Between 50 and 100 litres per square metre would help replenish the upper soil layers.

However, Oberhuber described the outlook as “optimistic”. Several low-pressure systems could reach the country over the next two weeks, with current weather models forecasting larger amounts of rain, particularly at higher elevations in the Mostviertel and Waldviertel.

Less rain is expected in the east, from the Weinviertel to the Industrieviertel. Overall, Oberhuber said, the outlook for rainfall had become somewhat more positive.