Heatwave of 1976 - will it happen again?

  • Weather

This summer marks 40 years since the record-breaking summer of 1976.

We've had drier summers - 1995, and a hotter summer in 2006 - but 1976 stood out for its longevity and intensity.

It was a summer of continued sunshine - the sunniest on record with 15 consecutive days of temperatures in excess of 32C.

We've not seen a heatwave like this since - only 2003 and 2013 came close with a week of temperatures of around 30C.

Mud flats at Wallasea Island, Essex, after baking in scorching temperatures in 2006. Credit: Chris Radburn / PA

We also had a remarkably dry 3 months - and previous to this, 9 months of below average rainfall leading to a serious drought. It was the driest spell in over 200 years, as far as official records go back.

Parts of the south-west saw no rain for 45 days - which had a huge impact on the farming community.

The drought was such an issue the prime minster appointed a drought minister - only for the heavens to open a few days later.

Thundery downpours developed through the end of August leading to flooding and a very wet September and October followed - and he was made Minister for Floods.

The winter of 1978-1979 was exceptionally cold and his title changed again - to Minister for Snow.

A driver has to shovel the snow from his car in February, 1979. Credit: Chris Hoffmann / DPA / PA

A system called the Azores High was responsible for the summer of '76 - a huge system usually sat across the Azores islands in the mid Atlantic - extended up across the UK for months keeping it settled and uncharacteristically dry.

It's responsible for dry, hot weather in the summer months but we've not seen it as much as we would like this summer - as the jet stream as prevented it surging into our vicinity.

The grass in Hyde Park, London, turned brown following a heatwave in 2010. Credit: PA

Even now it's not fully understood why it positioned itself where it did for so long.

We've had number of extreme weather event in recent years - including unusually mild winters, horribly wet and cold springs and surprisingly warm autumns.

We've not seen an intense, prolonged heatwave for a 40 years - that's not to say it won't happen again - but after just a couple of hot, humid days of over 30C and unbearable near record-breaking warm nights earlier this week, I wonder if we should be careful what we wish for.