The first half of 2026 was very dry. Some areas in Austria had 50 percent less rain. Experts call this a dry time. It is very bad in the Vienna area. It is also bad in Salzburg. The ground in Upper Austria is very dry too.
Many rivers have little water. The grass in Vienna parks is brown. Plants lose water. The rain does not replace this water. Farmers suffer from the heat. The grain grows too fast. The harvest is small.
Many towns save water. Munich has strict rules. People cannot fill pools there. Austria also has rules. In Gaishorn am See, the water stops at night. In some places, people cannot wash their cars.
Many people buy cooling machines for the heat. Experts warn about these machines. They use much electricity. They make loud noise. Better protection is shade on the house. Window shutters help. Plants on walls also help against heat.
There is good news about heating. The heat pump is the number 1 in Germany. People installed many heat pumps in 2025. These machines heat in winter. They cool homes in summer. This saves money. It helps the world.
