Highest temperature reported in Austrian mountain areas since 1851

The high temperature has this year hit most parts of Austria with its mountain areas enjoying the highest average annual temperature since 1851, said the Austrian National Broadcaster (ORF) on Thursday. According th the figures released by the Austrian meteorological department, the average temperature in Austria this year is 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than the average temperature over the past 160 years, while it is even 1.6 degrees Celsius higher in the mountain areas. The average temperature in the country's mountain areas this year reached a new record high for nearly 160 years. In most regions of the country, there is also much sunshine this year than in previous years, especially in the southwest mountain areas. High temperatures and abundant sunshine this year also led to an obvious melt of a number of glaciers in Austria. According to the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), the total mass of Austrian glaciers in 2011 would be reduced by about seven percent. In addition, in some highland areas covered by snow for the whole year in previous years, but there is no snow this year. The eastern hills and basins of Austria also have extremely high temperatures, drought and little snow. Especially in Vienna, capital of Austria, there has been no snow this winter, and the highest temperature in the city even has exceeded 7 degrees Celsius in December. However, the Austrian wine growers could benefit from the weather in 2011, as the rich rainfall in spring and early summer, the drought in later summer and autumn, as well as the obvious temperature difference between day and night are very favorable conditions for growing grape.