An event that is so well-remembered that it is inevitably brought up with each heatwave, today marks half a century since the historic 1976 heatwave got started.

On this day, 50 years ago, the three-month heatwave began. Coinciding and exacerbating one of the worst droughts in the UK for 150 years. Running from June 23rd to August 27th, temperatures peaked at 35.9 °C in Cheltenham.

Multiple records were broken, including the driest summer in Glasgow since 1868, and resulting in that year's summer ranking among the hottest, sunniest, and driest summer seasons of the 20th century.

At Heathrow, a run of 16 days saw temperatures exceed 30 °C, and a dry end to 1975 left some areas bone dry with water rationing in place. The south-west of England had it worst, with a 45 day dry spell leading to forest and heath fires.

By the end of August, an official Minister for Drought was selected by the Prime Minister. Just a week later, severe thunderstorms hit the country bringing blessed relief.

Despite the historic heat, the current record temperature was set in the 2022 heatwave where the UK broke 40 degrees for the first time ever with a high of 40.3 °C recorded in Coningsby, Lincolnshire.