1976 United Kingdom heat wave
Encyclopedia
The summer of 1976 was the hottest summer in the UK
since records began. As well as the heat, Britain was in the middle of a severe drought
.
on each of these 15 days. Furthermore, five days saw temperatures exceed 95°F (35°C). On 28 June, temperatures reached 35.6°C (96.1°F) in Southampton
, the highest June temperature recorded in the UK. The hottest day of all was 3 July, with temperatures reaching 35.9°C (96.6°F) in Cheltenham
, one of the hottest July days on record in the UK.
The great drought was due to a very long dry period. The summer and autumn of 1975 were very dry, and the winter of 1975-76 was exceptionally dry, as was the spring of 1976, indeed some months during this period had no rain at all in some areas.
The drought was at its most severe in August 1976. Parts of the south west
went 45 days without any rain in July and August. As the hot, dry weather continued, devastating heath
and forest fires broke out in parts of Southern England
. 50,000 trees were destroyed at Hurn Forest in Dorset
. Crops were badly hit, with £500 million worth of crops failing. Food prices subsequently increased by 12%.
In the last week of August, severe thunderstorm
s brought rain to some places for the first time in weeks. September and October 1976 were both very wet months, and the great drought of 1975-1976 had finally ended.
led to the passing of a Drought Act by parliament
and Minister for Drought, Denis Howell
, was appointed. There was widespread water rationing and public standpipe
s in some affected areas. Reservoir
s were at an extremely low level, as were some rivers. The rivers Don, Sheaf
, Shire Brook
and Meers Brook
(all in Sheffield
) all ran completely dry, without a drop of water in any of them, as well as Frecheville Pond and Carterhall Pond (Carterhall Pond was permanently dry until 2007, when floods hit, and has never dried since).
series 1976 has the hottest summer for more than 350 years and probably for much longer. The average temperature over the whole summer (June, July, August) was 17.77°C, compared to the average for the unusually warm current decade (2001-2008) of 16.30°C. There have in other years been hotter specific summer months, though.
The summer was so hot that it is embedded in the national psyche, with many subsequent heatwaves using 1976 as a benchmark, as in 1995
1997
2001 and
2006 to name just a few.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
since records began. As well as the heat, Britain was in the middle of a severe drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
.
Heatwave and drought effects
The temperature reached 80°F (26.7°C) every day between 22 June and 16 July. For 15 consecutive days from 23 June to 7 July inclusive, temperatures reached 90°F (32.2°C) somewhere in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on each of these 15 days. Furthermore, five days saw temperatures exceed 95°F (35°C). On 28 June, temperatures reached 35.6°C (96.1°F) in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, the highest June temperature recorded in the UK. The hottest day of all was 3 July, with temperatures reaching 35.9°C (96.6°F) in Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, one of the hottest July days on record in the UK.
The great drought was due to a very long dry period. The summer and autumn of 1975 were very dry, and the winter of 1975-76 was exceptionally dry, as was the spring of 1976, indeed some months during this period had no rain at all in some areas.
The drought was at its most severe in August 1976. Parts of the south west
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
went 45 days without any rain in July and August. As the hot, dry weather continued, devastating heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
and forest fires broke out in parts of Southern England
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
. 50,000 trees were destroyed at Hurn Forest in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. Crops were badly hit, with £500 million worth of crops failing. Food prices subsequently increased by 12%.
In the last week of August, severe thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s brought rain to some places for the first time in weeks. September and October 1976 were both very wet months, and the great drought of 1975-1976 had finally ended.
Government response
The effect on domestic water suppliesWater supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
led to the passing of a Drought Act by parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and Minister for Drought, Denis Howell
Denis Howell
Denis Herbert Howell, Baron Howell was a British Labour Party politician.Born in Birmingham, Howell was educated at Handsworth Grammar School, Birmingham and became a clerk and chairman of the Clerical and Administrative Workers Union standing orders committee. He was a Football League referee and...
, was appointed. There was widespread water rationing and public standpipe
Standpipe (street)
A standpipe is a freestanding pipe fitted with a tap which is installed outdoors to dispense water in areas which do not have a running water supply to the buildings....
s in some affected areas. Reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
s were at an extremely low level, as were some rivers. The rivers Don, Sheaf
River Sheaf
The River Sheaf is a river in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Its source is the union of the Totley Brook and the Old Hay Brook in Totley, now a suburb of Sheffield. It flows northwards, past Dore, through the valley called Abbeydale and north of Heeley...
, Shire Brook
Shire Brook
Shire Brook is a small stream in the south eastern part of the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It rises in the suburb of Gleadless Townend and flows in a general easterly direction for 6.5 km to its confluence with the River Rother between Beighton and Woodhouse Mill.In the past...
and Meers Brook
Meers Brook
The Meers Brook is a stream in Sheffield, England and one of the main tributaries of the River Sheaf.The Meers Brook originates in Gleadless and flows downhill through Gleadless Valley and Meersbrook then, tunnelled, continues underneath Meersbrook to pour into the River Sheaf near Saxon Road and...
(all in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
) all ran completely dry, without a drop of water in any of them, as well as Frecheville Pond and Carterhall Pond (Carterhall Pond was permanently dry until 2007, when floods hit, and has never dried since).
Comparisons
In the Central England TemperatureCentral England temperature
The Central England Temperature record was originally published by Professor Gordon Manley in 1953 and subsequently extended and updated in 1974, following many decades of painstaking work...
series 1976 has the hottest summer for more than 350 years and probably for much longer. The average temperature over the whole summer (June, July, August) was 17.77°C, compared to the average for the unusually warm current decade (2001-2008) of 16.30°C. There have in other years been hotter specific summer months, though.
The summer was so hot that it is embedded in the national psyche, with many subsequent heatwaves using 1976 as a benchmark, as in 1995
1997
2001 and
2006 to name just a few.
See also
- Drought in the United KingdomDrought in the United KingdomDroughts in the United Kingdom are a relatively common feature of the weather in the UK, with one around every 5–10 years on average. These droughts are usually confined to summer, when a blocking high causes hot, dry weather for an extended period. However droughts can vary in their characteristics...
- United Kingdom Drought of 1955
- 2003 United Kingdom heat wave
- 2006 United Kingdom heat wave
- DroughtDroughtA drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...