How Hot Was It In 1976

How hot was the heatwave of 1976?

How hot was the 1976 heatwave? – The heatwave, which took place across June and July, peaked at 35.6°C – still lower than the record temperature of 40°C which was broken for the first time in the UK last year – at Heathrow Airport – during the 2022 heatwave. Tennis players at Wimbledon had to cover themselves in water during the 1976 championships. (Picture: Mike Maloney via Getty) The heatwave formed after a weather pattern saw extremes in sea temperatures around Greenland and the UK, with research showing it was, and continues to be, linked to warmer drier summers in the UK. Sunseekers took to newspapers and books for makeshift sun protection. (Picture: Graham Wood via Getty) Londoners headed in their thousands to Hyde Park, London on some of the hottest days of the 1976 heatwave. (Picture: Getty)

What was the hottest in 1976?

5 Reasons Why the Heatwave of 1976 is so Very Different to 2022 We are all painfully aware of the heatwave that has struck the UK in the last week as we have all struggled to cope with the record high temperatures. This heatwave has brought to mind, for those old enough, the record breaking summer of 1976 and has led some people to believe that we are overreacting about the severity of this heat wave and its climate consequences and that the Met office is creating unnecessary ‘hysteria’, since it’s been happening for nearly half a century. Here are 5 reasons why the heatwave of 1976 is different to 2022;

The high temperatures are shattering previous records. In 1976 the maximum temperature recorded was 35.9 degrees and the recent heatwave exceeded this by over 4 degrees, recent temperatures also shattered the previous highest temperature of 38.7 degrees which was recorded in 2019. Britain experienced its first ever Red Extreme Heat Warning, which states that temperatures may reach over 40 degrees and there is a threat of serious illness or even death among healthy people.

The heatwave of 1976 was rare, 2022’s is not. The heatwave of 1976 was incredibly rare for that time period, with the average temperature of july 1976 being but in the 2010’s the average temperature recorded in July was more than 20 degrees and the top ten warmest years ever for the UK have been since 2002. There were future heat waves in ‘95, ‘97, ‘03, ‘06, 22, with the 1976 heatwave being the first and locked into the British psyche as a phenomenon. Albeit the 76 heatwave was also a period where there were over two months of no rainfall and water needed to be rationed, it was still extremely rare for that decade rather than being a common occurrence as we see heat waves now.

It is not just a British issue this time around, it’s global. Alongside Britain, the rest of Europe has also experienced a heatwave with the extreme heat causing an estimated wildfires across the entire continent. The average global temperature is rising steadily and the heat map below from the clearly shows how much warmer the global climate has become in the last 70 years. The average temperature of the world is rapidly rising and this is the issue that the heatwave brings to light, yes there have been plenty of heatwaves before but their increasing frequency and high intensity demonstrates how much climate change is affecting our planet, much more than it was in 1976.

1976 saw a 20% increase in Deaths – 2022 Is Estimated to be Higher ‍

In 1976 excess deaths across the two month period as a whole stood at 700 according to data, and the 1976 heatwave is said to have been the cause of 20% ‘excess deaths’. In 2003, the heat wave that struck Europe, hitting France especially hard, had a death toll of over 70,000 people which was a 59% ‘excess death’, which is nearly a 40% increase in ‘excess deaths’ since 1976.

The true impact of the 2022 heatwave may not be fully understood for a couple more weeks but a professor at UCL, Ilan Kleman stated that “once temperatures reach over 37 degrees the death toll begins to increase” and that “The heatwave was extremely serious, there was the potential for very high death rates”.

Although it is currently unclear what the percentage increase in death rates was over the last few weeks, it can be assumed that once the data has been collected the increase in deaths will be higher than that of the 1976 heatwave demonstrating that the heatwaves severity have increased and need to be taken significantly more seriously

It is much clearer that the 2022 heatwave is a result of human activity rather than the natural weather changes that were seen in the 70’s.

‍ Scientists are not 100% sure of the 1976 heatwave but they do believe it may have been a result of a change in the jet stream that dictates our weather. But this current heatwave is part of a bigger shift in our climate, it is one of the clearest signs of human influence on our environment.

• There is one single solution to this problem; change.
• We cannot continue to live the way we do, we have to change our carbon habits, it has to be a daily effort to reduce, avoid and offset or extreme weather, like this UK heatwave will become the normal.
• Visit to begin your journey to carbon neutral.
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How long did the 1976 heatwave last?

What was Britain’s notorious heatwave of 1976 like?

• Britain is currently sweltering in its second of the summer, with temperatures passing 30C on Monday and in southeast England on Sunday.
• The concerning the extreme heat forecast last weekend and has warned that the phenomenon is likely to become a more regular occurrence by 2050 as a result of the,
• While it is certainly scorching out there, the standard by which all British summers are judged remains June to August of 1976, when the UK reportedly recorded its hottest average temperature for more than 350 years and its driest summer for 200, a record subsequently surpassed by an even more barren 1995.

The subject of a nostalgic recent documentary on Channel 5, the heatwave of 1976 reached its peak between 23 June and 7 July, a 15-day period over the course of which at least somewhere in England recorded a temperature of more than 32.2C. The hottest day of the year proved to be 3 July, when the mercury hit an alarming 35.9C in Cheltenham.

1. show revellers of all ages crowding onto Brighton beach and plunging into the Serpentine in Hyde Park or the bathing ponds of Hampstead Heath.
2. Others show spectators queueing in the shade for tickets to see Ilie Nastase square off against Bjorn Borg in the men’s singles final at Wimbledon or bowler-hatted businessmen setting aside their briefcases, rolling up their trousers and in the fountains of Trafalgar Square.
3. Hit albums by Demis Roussos, Rod Stewart and The Carpenters were released during the period, as was the classic surf rock compilation 20 Golden Greats by the Beach Boys, perhaps the ideal soundtrack for the occasion.
4. However, while the balmy temperatures were a novelty and a pleasure for many, there was a dark side to the relentless sunshine.
5. The UK reportedly experienced a 20 per cent year-on-year increase of “excess deaths” that summer, with a huge spike in hospitalisations as a consequence of sunstroke and heat-related heart attacks.

Londoners relaxing on the Serpentine in Hyde Park on 25 June 1976

• Reservoirs dried up, rivers ran so dry that children were apparently able to in Wales, forest fires erupted in Dorset and elsewhere, £500m-worth of crop damage was done and the tarmac melted on the M1.
• Incredibly, in a detail not at all unlike the plot of a contemporary pulp science fiction novel, the country was hit by a swarm of ladybirds, forced to search frantically for alternative supplies of food after their customary aphid diet was killed off by the,
• Parts of the south-west went 45 days without any rain between July and August, forcing the closure of some factories to conserve water and James Callaghan’s Labour government to appoint Birmingham MP Denis Howell as its new minister for drought, tasked with encouraging the public to conserve water.

Spectators at Wimbledon protect themselves from the sun wearing newspaper hats and books on their heads during the heatwave

1. The future Lord Howell famously revealed that he and his wife Brenda had taken to having baths together at their home in Moseley in order to reduce their impact on vital resources and was apparently invited to perform a rain dance by Downing Street in a desperate bid to encourage the heavens to open.
2. “Save water – bath with a friend” became a popular T-shirt slogan of the moment as the government signed the Drought Act 1976 into law, empowering local authorities to issue fines to people found wasting water.
3. This legendary heatwave was finally brought to an end by heavy thunderstorms in late August, which carried on into a wet September and October and were severe enough that Lord Howell eventually had to be redesignated minister for floods.

The UK has subsequently seen heatwaves in 1995, 1997, 2003, 2006 and 2018 and recorded a new all-time highest temperature – 38.7C in Cambridge Botanic Garden in July 2019 – but the summer of 1976 continues to hold a peculiar place in the British imagination. : What was Britain’s notorious heatwave of 1976 like?

Was there a heatwave in Europe in 1976?

Summer of 1976 (Europe) – Wikipedia Low water in, in the drought of 1976. The summer of 1976 was considered to be the hottest summer in, and especially the, during the 20th century. A large dominated most of Europe for all of the months. The pressure system moved into place in late May 1976 and remained until the first traces of rain were recorded on 27 August.

• Rainfall throughout the July–August period was down by half the annual average.
• During this spell of hot weather temperatures exceeded 32 °C (89.6 °F) at several within the United Kingdom every day and the town of had eleven, including seven successive days from 1 July – recording 35.9 °C (96.6 °F) on 3 July.

For the entire period much of Europe was bathed in continual sunshine with the United Kingdom seeing an average of more than 14 hours of sunshine per day.1976 was dubbed “the year of the ” in that country due to the rise in the mass numbers of the insect brought on by the long hot period.

What was the hottest year ever?

To date, the hottest year on record is a tie between 2016 and 2020. For longtime climate observers, the summer’s breakneck pace of temperature records is a grim pattern long predicted, and one with little chance of breaking.

What’s the hottest heatwave ever?

Death Valley approaches global heat record as US reels from extreme weather Long the hottest place on Earth, Death Valley put a sizzling exclamation point on Sunday on a record warm summer that is baking nearly the entire globe by flirting with some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded, meteorologists said.

Temperatures in Death Valley, which runs along part of central California’s border with Nevada, reached 128F (53.3C) on Sunday at the aptly named Furnace Creek, the National Weather Service said. The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth was 134F (56.7C) in July 1913 at Furnace Creek, said Randy Ceverny of the World Meteorological Organization, the body recognized as keeper of world records.

Temperatures at or above 130F (54.4C) have only been recorded on Earth a handful of times, mostly in Death Valley. “With global warming, such temperatures are becoming more and more likely to occur,” Ceverny, the World Meteorological Organization’s records coordinator, said in an email.

Long-term: global warming is causing higher and more frequent temperature extremes. Short-term: this particular weekend is being driven by a very, very strong upper-level ridge of high pressure over the western US.” Furnace Creek is an unincorporated community within Death Valley national park. It is home to the park’s visitor center, which includes a digital thermometer popular with tourists.

On Sunday afternoon, dozens of people gathered at the thermometer – some wearing fur coats as a joke – hoping to snap a picture with a temperature reading that would shock their friends and family. That digital thermometer hit 130F at one point on Sunday, but it is not an official reading.

1. The National Weather Service said the highest temperature recorded on Sunday was 128F – a high that was unlikely to be surpassed as the sun went down.
2. Meteorologists say that thin cloud cover most likely kept temperatures from reaching potential record highs.
3. The heatwave is just one part of the extreme weather hitting the US over the weekend.

Five people died in Pennsylvania on Saturday when heavy rains caused a sudden flash flood that swept away multiple cars. A nine-month-old boy and a two-year-old girl remained missing. In Vermont, authorities were concerned about landslides as rain continued after days of flooding.

1. Death Valley’s brutal temperatures come amid a blistering stretch of hot weather that has put roughly one-third of Americans under some type of heat advisory, watch or warning.
2. Heatwaves are not as visually dramatic as other natural disasters, but experts say they are more deadly.
3. A heatwave in parts of the south and midwest killed more than a dozen people last month.

Temperatures in Phoenix hit 114F (45.6C) on Sunday, the 17th consecutive day of 110 degrees or higher. The record is 18 days, set in June 1974. Phoenix is on track to break that record on Tuesday, said Gabriel Lojero, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Heat records are being shattered all over the US and Europe. Meanwhile, dramatic floods have hit the US north-east, India, Japan and China. For nearly all of July, the world has been in uncharted hot territory, according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer. June was also the hottest June on record, according to several weather agencies.

Scientists say there is a decent chance that 2023 will go down as the hottest year on record, with measurements going back to the middle of the 19th century. A combination of long-term human-caused climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas is making the world hotter by the decade, with ups and downs year by year.

• Many of those ups and downs are caused by the natural El Niño and La Niña cycle.
• An El Niño cycle, the warming of part of the Pacific that changes the world’s weather, adds even more heat to the already rising temperatures.
• Scientists such as Russ Vose, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate analysis chief, have said that most of the record warming the Earth is now seeing is from human-caused climate change, partly because this El Niño only started a few months ago and is still weak to moderate.

It is not expected to peak until winter, so scientists predict next year will be even hotter than this year. There is some debate about Death Valley’s record of records. Some meteorologists have disputed how accurate Death Valley’s 110-year-old high is, with the weather historian Christopher Burt disputing it for several reasons, which he laid out in a blogpost a few years ago.

1. The two hottest temperatures on record are the 134F in 1913 in Death Valley and 131F in Tunisia in July 1931.
2. Burt, a weather historian for The Weather Company, finds fault with both of those measurements and lists 130F in July 2021 in Death Valley as his hottest recorded temperature on Earth.
3. He said that “130 degrees is very rare if not unique.” In July 2021 and August 2020, Death Valley recorded a reading of 130F, but both are still awaiting confirmation.

Scientists have found no problems so far, but they have not finished the analysis, Vose said. There are other places similar to Death Valley that may be as hot, such as Iran’s Lut Desert, but like Death Valley are uninhabited so no one measures there, Burt said.

How many died in 1976 heatwave?

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows 26,364 deaths were recorded between 23 June and 8 July that year – 3,676 more than the previous five-year average for the same dates.

Was 1976 a good summer?

I ‘m too young to remember the 1976 heatwave, But as a climate scientist, I’m tired of hearing about why it means we shouldn’t take the climate crisis seriously.1976 was undeniably a hot summer. A really hot summer, in fact. Temperatures topped 32C (89.6F) somewhere in the UK for 15 days on the trot, climbing to a maximum of 35.9C on 3 July.

1. But in many ways it was nothing like the heatwave we’re enduring right now.
2. In 1976, the UK was an anomalous red blob of unusual heat on a map of distinctly normal summer temperatures.
3. Contrast that to July 2022, and there are few places on Earth where temperatures are not considerably above average.

What makes 2022 a lot worse than 1976 is not just the temperature itself – which will be 4-5C higher than in 1976 if the forecasts are accurate – but how large an area is currently feeling the heat. Parts of Spain, Portugal, France and Italy have been baking in 40C-plus heat for days on end.

1. Combined with extremely dry conditions, the heat has triggered wildfires and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
2. Conservative MP John Hayes slammed those taking precautions against the heat here in the UK as “snowflakes” and “cowards”.
3. This is ridiculous; the kind of temperatures we are currently experiencing are nothing to be complacent or derisive about.

Extreme heat kills. For example, the deadly European heatwave of 2003 cost 70,000 lives across the continent, more than 2,000 in England, and hit the most vulnerable in society the hardest. The heat was so crippling in France that mortuaries ran out of space to store the bodies of those killed by the extreme temperatures.

• Tragically, this heatwave may follow suit, according to a former government chief scientific adviser, Sir David King, who has predicted there could be up to 10,000 excess deaths associated with this heatwave.
• And let’s remember that this is far from the first heatwave of the year.
• We’ve already seen a brutal spring heatwave in India and Pakistan.

Over two months in south Asia the mercury soared to nearly 50C. Temperatures in India were the highest in 122 years of record-keeping. A rapid attribution study – which detects the fingerprint of human activity in extreme events – found that the south Asian heatwave was made 30 times more likely by global heating, and was at least 1C hotter than it otherwise would have been.

1. The heat caused deaths, power failures, fires and crop losses across India and Pakistan.
2. And as with many extreme events, it was the most marginalised people who suffered the most.
3. Climate breakdown is increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of extreme heat events.
4. And where global heating is concerned, we’re ahead of schedule: 40C heat was predicted for the UK of the 2050s, not the 2020s.

So far we’ve warmed our planet by 1.1C on average, meaning every hot spell is already starting from a warmer “normal”. In fact, the UK Met Office recently revised its definition of a heatwave to account for this. A heatwave is declared when maximum temperatures exceed a regionally specific threshold for three consecutive days.

For south-east England that used to be 27C. Now it’s 28C, And this record-breaking year is just one in a series of record-breaking years. Nine of the top 10 hottest UK days on record have been since 1990. And 1976 isn’t the odd one out in that list: it doesn’t even make the cut. July 2022 will now top the list, with an unprecedented 40C or 41C predicted and the first red weather warning for heat in UK history.

But while 2022 might be a year of firsts, it probably won’t hold its records for long. In the UK, 30C-odd heatwaves like that of 1976 are now 30 times more likely to occur than if we hadn’t changed our climate. And analysis from the Met Office suggests that 40C heatwaves like this one may happen every 15 years or so by the end of the century.

Dr Ella Gilbert is a climate scientist at the British Antarctic Survey

Was 1980 the hottest summer?

Like 2020 has been, 1980 was a pretty rough year for the country, too. Mount St. Helens erupted. The Iranian hostage crisis was ongoing. Turbulent economic and political years were coming to a head with a much-anticipated presidential election. The year also brought one of the deadliest weather events in U.S.

• History, but one that may not be on the tip of the tongue, in the form of a heat wave.
• While the National Centers for Environmental Information list the direct death toll from the 1980 heat wave as 1,260, it also notes that the estimated indirect death toll from heat stress may have been as high as 10,000.

By comparison, some 6,000 to 12,000 were killed, in various estimates, by the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Because heat waves do not leave behind a trail of destruction and receive the media attention of many disasters, they are often referred to by scientists as “silent killers.” You know a heat wave was big if, in Texas, where everything is big, especially hot summers, it sears a deep brand into the record books 40 years later.

1. It has never been hotter at Dallas-Fort Worth, or extremely hot for as long, as it was in 1980.
2. But it was far more than Texas that suffered in 1980, as a heat wave of unusual size and intensity expanded across much of the South, Midwest and East.
3. Agricultural losses from the heat wave and associated drought exceeded $60 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars, according to Department of Homeland Security estimates.

The poultry industry was particularly hard hit, with millions of birds succumbing to extreme temperatures, The Centers for Disease Control estimates that an average of 658 people per year die of heat-related illness in the United States, though some experts estimate that number may be over 1,000.

Extreme heat will become an issue in some regions in the days ahead, as a “heat dome” of high pressure continues to develop over the central United States, expanding eastward and northward at times. The full expanse and intensity of the coming heat wave are yet to be determined, but temperatures will certainly be life-threatening in many areas for those without proper shading or hydration.

Washington, through Friday, has already had 15 consecutive days of high temperatures at or above 90 degrees. The record for longest 90-degree streak is 21, last occurring in 1988, but also in 1980. Washington’s record number of days at above 90 was also set in 1980, at 67, then tied in 2010.

Washington’s heat peaked on July 16 in 1980, when it hit 103 degrees, its highest temperature in nearly 37 years. Then there was a second surge of heat in late July and the first half of August. At the time, summer 1980 was considered the worst U.S. heat wave since 1954, and it has stood the test of time since for the breadth and intensity of its extremes.

Dallas-Fort Worth, no stranger to extreme heat in almost any summer, still has heat records dominated by 1980, including:

All-time highest temperature, 113 degrees on June 26 and 27. Longest streak of days with high temperatures of at least 100, 42. Longest streak of days highs temperatures of at least 90, 79. Hottest month, based on average temperature, 92 for July 1980.

Every daily record high from June 24 to July 5, plus seven more later in July, still date to 1980 for Dallas-Fort Worth. Since records began in 1898 at the station, now housed at the international airport, five of 10 days with highs of 110 or higher occurred that sizzling summer 40 years ago.

1. Memphis and Little Rock each recorded its longest streak of 100-plus degree days, at 15 each, in early to mid-July.
2. The heat wave tended to spread east with time, with Washington’s record 90-degree streak starting in late July and extending to August 14.
3. Hurricane Allen disrupted the heat some in Texas.

Allen, once an extremely powerful Category 5 storm with 190 mph winds, came ashore as a Category 3 storm with 115 mph winds just north of Brownsville on Aug.10. But 100-degree temperatures occurred in Texas deep into September. Heat waves are not overly creative in how they develop over the United States.

1. Invariably, a strong high pressure system is present aloft, spreading out over many hundreds of miles at two to six miles up.
2. With weaker atmospheric steering currents in summer, this high moves nowhere fast.
3. Warm air sinks and compresses underneath the high pressure, heating as it does.
4. Little in the way of convection is able to develop underneath the high, both due to the sinking air and to the tendency for warmer air aloft to strongly cap the atmosphere.

So there are few showers or storms capable of providing cooling underneath the high pressure. Furthermore, days of intense heat heats the surface and dries up vegetation underneath the high, adding an oven-like effect that helps propagate the heat wave.

1. Around the edge of the high, a “ring of fire” often develops where the pressure and capping are weaker, allowing storms to develop.
2. Just as the 2012 heat wave was punctuated by the June 29 derecho from the Ohio Valley across the Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic, 1980 had the colorfully named “More Trees Down” derecho from Nebraska to the Delmarva Peninsula on July 4-5, killing six and injuring 63.

Wind gusts topping 80 mph occurred in northern Virginia. (The name relates to a forecaster’s father noting that there had been even more trees down at his Indiana farm than in a previous derecho.) Climate scientists project, and have observed, an increase in the frequency, size and intensity of heat waves as global temperatures warm.

Year to year, however, the intensity of a particular heat wave over a given region comes down to details affected by the atmospheric pattern at the time. After 40 years of rising global temperatures and other notable heat waves, 1980 continues to hold a significant place in our nation’s weather history.

Kevin Myatt writes the Weather Journal column and blog for the Roanoke Times.

How hot did britain get in 1976?

Comparisons – Graph showing Central England temperature dataset, 1659 to 2014. The highest temperature during the 1976 heatwave was 35.9 °C (96.6 °F), 0.8 °C below the record at the time of 36.7 °C (98.1 °F) set on 9 August 1911. As of 2022, 1976 has the 13th hottest day in UK history,

In the Central England Temperature series, 1976 is the hottest summer for more than 350 years. The average temperature over the whole summer (June, July, August) was 17.77 °C (63.99 °F), compared to the average for the unusually warm years between 2001–2008 of 16.30 °C (61.34 °F). As of 2022, the hottest years in the series are 2003, 2006 and 2014.

The summer became embedded in the national psyche, with subsequent heatwaves in 1995, 1997, 2003, 2006 and 2022, all using 1976 as a benchmark. The 1976 heatwave was a rarity within its decade. Heatwaves in the UK and worldwide have since become more frequent and intense due to climate change,

Is it hotter than 1976?

How hot was the summer of 1976? – The peak that year was 35.9C. That has been beaten by the current temperatures, with 40.3C recorded so far. The heatwave of 1976 started in June and lasted for two months. There was a lack of rainfall and a significant drought, with the government enforcing water rationing.

• The heatwave was rare for that decade.
• The average maximum temperature in July in the 1970s was 18.7C,
• In the 2010s, it was more than 20C.
• The UK has been slowly getting warmer since the 19th Century, and this has sped up.
• In the past three decades the country has become 0.9C warmer on average, according to the UK State of the Climate report in 2020.

Nine out of ten of the hottest days ever recorded in the UK have been since 1990, according to the Met Office,1976 ranks 13th in the list of the hottest UK days on record (some of these, not shown in the chart above, have occurred in the same year).

1. 1976 was indeed a heatwave and we have had heatwaves before, but the point is they’re happening more often and they’re becoming more intense,” says Prof Hannah Cloke, a climate scientist at the University of Reading.
2. There is also the scale of the heatwaves to consider, when comparing temperatures with those in 1976.

That summer, the UK and France were among a handful of countries experiencing high temperatures. But if you look at the heat maps (produced by NASA) for June 2022, it shows many more countries affected. “We can easily see how much warmer the global climate has become – with very few areas actually colder than normal,” says BBC Weather presenter, Matt Taylor.

What caused the 1976 drought?

Recalling the 1976 drought: 40 years on Photo : Water shortages caused fields to dry up, significantly reducing yields that year. Source : 2016 marked the 40th anniversary of the 1976 drought, the driest 16-month period in over 200 years across the UK and one of the most severe droughts on record.

• The exceptionally dry period began in May 1975 and lasted 16 months.
• From 22nd June to 16th July 1976, somewhere in the UK exceeded 25°C every day.
• Even more remarkable, for 15 consecutive days from 23rd June to 7th July 1976, temperatures in Britain reached at least 32.2°C every day.
• No previous or subsequent heatwaves have produced more than five days in a row where temperatures have climbed above 32°C.

The hottest day of 1976 was 3rd July when temperatures hit 35.9°C. Much of England and Wales received less than 65% of average rainfall from May 1975 to August 1976, with some parts of southern England receiving less than 55%. Extremely warm temperatures and sunny conditions during the summer of 76′ caused further depletion of surface and groundwater supplies over much of England and Wales.

• Thousands of standpipes were installed, and agricultural production was also affected as the countryside turned from green to brown.
• In East Anglia, the topsoil dried out so much that it started to turn to dust and was then being blown away.
• Eventually, a Drought Bill was pushed through with water restrictions put in place, forcing schools and businesses to close early at times due to the water rationing.

During the summer, parts of southern-western England did not receive any rain for 45 days. The prime minister finally named a Minister for Drought at the end of August. However, within three days of his appointment, wetter conditions eventually returned, with the drought ending in September 1976.

• Notable other dry spells include May 2006, when a drought order was enforced over England and Wales for the first time since 1995, banning the non-essential use of water, such as watering the garden.
• Extremely dry conditions returned from 2010 to 2012, with this period considered one of the ten most significant UK droughts in the last 100 years.

More than 35 million people were affected. However, the worst effects were avoided due to a reasonably cool summer in 2011. The 2010-2012 drought came to an abrupt end in April 2012. The water shortage problem rapidly reversed as record-breaking rainfall brought several flooding episodes across the UK from April to July 2012.

• The 1975-76 drought is regarded as the most significant drought in the UK since records began back in 1772 and is usually regarded as a ‘benchmark’ against which all other droughts are compared.
• However, it is difficult to directly compare droughts as there are several characteristics to consider, such as duration, areal extent and intensity.

In our warming world, will such ? : Recalling the 1976 drought: 40 years on

When was the hottest summer in Europe?

Europe’s killer summer of 2022 – Europe, the world’s fastest warming continent, experienced its hottest summer on record in 2022, as countries were hit by blistering heat waves, crop-withering droughts and devastating wildfires. The European Union’s statistics agency Eurostat had reported an unusually high number of excess deaths over the summer, but the amount directly linked to the heat had not been previously quantified.

• A team of researchers looked at data on temperature and mortality from 2015 to 2022 for 823 regions across 35 European countries, covering a total of 543 million people.
• Evacuations in Europe as wildfires continue 02:06 The researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and France’s health research institute INSERM used models to predict the deaths attributable to temperature for each region in every week of 2022’s summer.

They estimated that 61,672 deaths were linked to the heat between May 30 and September 4 last year, according to the study published in the journal Nature Medicine, A particularly intense heat wave in the week of July 18-24 caused more than 11,600 deaths alone, the study said.

What happened in 1976 in Europe?

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN 1976

• CHAPTER ONE
• MAJOR INTERNATIONAL
• DEVELOPMENTS IN 1976
• The main features of the international situation having been outlined in the Preface, this chapter examines the year’s major developments.

I. Trends in the U.S., China, U.S.S.R., and Other Areas 1.U.S., China, and U.S.S.R. Trends (with Emphasis on Bilateral Relations) (1) U.S.-U.S.S.R. Relations U.S.-U.S.S.R. relations moved at a generally sluggish pace throughout 1976 against the following background.

1. The Soviet Union repeatedly stressed its desire for “relaxation of tensions,” but due to the impossibility of forecasting the outcome of the U.S.
2. Presidential election with any certainty and other factors, it took a rather cautious posture toward its relations with the U.S.
3. On the part of the U.S., the incumbent Ford Administration had to take into consideration such factors as the growing alarm within the U.S.

over the Soviet military build-up and the presence of Soviet troops in Angola, and the political judgment that it would hurt candidate Ford’s election prospects were he open to charges of having given away too much in the SALT II negotiations. After Ford was defeated in the election, he had limited latitude for initiatives.

In addition, the conflicts of interests and differences of opinion on the problems at issue between the two nations were not such as lend themselves to easy solution. SALT II, for example, was unable to make progress, especially with respect to the problems concerning the cruise missile and backfire bomber.U.S.-U.S.S.R.

trade negotiations snagged on the question of most-favored nation treatment. The negotiations on Soviet petroleum exports to the U.S. were also suspended in March. Nevertheless, accepting that the stagnation in relations between the two nations was unavoidable, they endeavored to maintain the general tendency toward relaxation of tensions.

• It seemed thus in line with such endeavors of the U.S.
• And U.S.S.R.
• That the Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on Underground Nuclear Explosions for Peaceful Purposes was signed in May.
• The new Carter Administration, from the perspective of its basic stance on human rights at home and overseas, has taken a sympathetic attitude toward Soviet dissidents, thus drawing a burst of considerable resentment from the Soviet Government.

However, both nations’ leaders are very concerned for the success of SALT II and these negotiations continue uninterrupted. (2) Sino-American Relations No concrete progress was seen in normalizing U.S.-China relations in 1976. Behind this stagnation in relations lie the two nations’ unchanging stances regarding Taiwan.

• In addition domestic considerations necessarily came into play in the U.S.
• With incumbent President Ford’s concern for the Presidential race and in China with the rapid political shifts as symbolized by the leadership changes.
• Although President Carter has expressed a desire to improve Sino-American relations, he remains cautious in policy toward Taiwan.

(3) Sino-Soviet Relations No conspicuous developments were seen in the working-level relations between China and the Soviet Union, and the two nations remained in ideological conflict. Although there were forecasts that the demise of Chairman Mao Tse-tung might provide possibilities for improving the stiff relations between the two nations, China maintained its anti-Soviet policies.

1. In international forums too, the two nations remained as adamantly in conflict as they had been in 1975.
2. (4) Domestic Situations
3. (a) United States

U.S. domestic politics in bicentennial 1976 centered upon the Presidential race, and major policy decisions were deferred until after the election. While the Democratic Party won the Presidential election for the first time in eight years, the main factors contributing to this victory are thought to have been the growing popular mood in the United States for a new kind of politics after Vietnam and Watergate, the fresh image of candidate Carter who in keen competition with Ford appealed to a majority of the voters by pledging to restore trust to politics, and the solid support for Carter of the Democratic Party, which had overcome its internal strife after Vietnam.

1. Inaugurated in January 1977 as the 39th President of the United States, President Carter has stressed the importance of gaining the public’s support and has moved to solidify his political base. The U.S.
2. Economy, which had evidenced recovery in the first quarter of 1976, subsequently saw the rate of growth again turn sluggish, unemployment and prices rise, and the 1976 trade balance plunge from major first-half surplus to drastic deficit.

However, bright signs were again apparent in the economy after November as production and retail sales improved and unemployment decreased. (b) China Chinese domestic politics entered a major transitional period with the deaths of the top revolutionary leadership, including Prime Minister Chou En-lai, Chairman Chu Teh of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, and Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, the eruption of the Tien An Men incident, and the ousting of Teng Hsiao-ping.

1. These events were followed in October by the expulsion of the “gang of four” (Wang Hung-wen, Chang Chun-chiao, Chiang Ching, and Yao Wen-yuan) and the installment of Hua Kuo-feng as Chairman.
2. The newly begun Hua Administration has forcefully pushed its campaign against the “gang of four” and devoted its energies to restoring party unity and rebuilding the economy.

(c) U.S.S.R. In the Soviet Union, there were no major personnel or policy changes seen after the February-March 25th Party Congress. In the economy, agriculture rebounded from the disastrous harvest of 1975 to record a high grain output. Industry also surpassed 1976 targets, albeit in part because the targets themselves had been set somewhat low.

• 2. Other Areas
• (1) Korean Peninsula
• (a) North-South Relations
• Although the August Panmunjom incident raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the cautious handling and sub-sequent actions by both North and South Korea as well as the concerned great powers kept it from developing into a more serious situation.
• The dialogue between North and South broken off in 1975 has yet to be resumed, and their relations remain firmly stalemated.
• (b) External Relations

Attention was focused on what would result from the diplomatic approaches by both North and South Korea to the non-aligned and other nations. On the North Korean side, the approach to the summit conference of non-aligned countries in August ended in failure (20 nations abstaining on North Korea’s proposal on the Korean question), and the draft resolution in support of North Korea which had been submitted to the United Nations was abruptly withdrawn before the September start of the General Assembly.

1. The Republic of Korea continued to plead the necessity of a realistic approach to solving the Korean question before the moderate non-aligned nations.
2. In the U.S., President Carter reaffirmed after being inaugurated his campaign pledge of withdrawing U.S.
3. Ground forces from the Republic of Korea.
4. C) Domestic Issues Taking a firm stance against antigovernment activities as seen in the proclamation to save democracy, the Republic of Korea continued to work to reinforce its self-reliant defense capability and to develop the national economy.

North Korea was supposed to have been in severe economic difficulty, as evidenced by its heavy foreign debts and failure to announce the next economic plan. (2) Indochina (a) Domestic Developments The three countries of Indochina worked to consolidate their socialist systems in 1976, each in accordance with its national circumstances.

1. Vietnam achieved formal unification in July, decided upon its post-unification socialist revolutionary policies at the December Vietnam Worker’s Party Congress, and formulated its second Five-year Plan.
2. Laos made progress in its work of socialist construction along the policy lines of the Action Program adopted at the December 1975 National Congress of People’s Representatives.

Cambodia promulgated its new Constitution in January and is working on reconstruction based upon self-reliant policies for self-help under the leadership chosen at the April People’s Representative Assembly. (b) External Relations As for the external policies of the three countries of Indochina, attention was specifically focused on their relations with China and the U.S.S.R.

• Vietnam maintained a basically independent line toward China and the U.S.S.R., but its relations with the U.S.S.R.
• Seemed to tend closer than those with China as a result of the Soviet Union’s superior aid-providing ability.
• Laos also intended to be equidistant from China and the U.S.S.R., but was in fact more heavily influenced by the U.S.S.R.

and Vietnam. By contrast, Cambodia was tilting toward China without adjusting its relations or exchanging Ambassadors with the Soviet Union. Relations between the Indochinese nations and the nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus Burma were another focus of interest.

While Vietnam and Laos continued to view the ASEAN organization with suspicion Vietnam showed a will to improve bilateral relations with these nations, clarifying the four policy principles for relations with Southeast Asian nations in July and establishing diplomatic relations with the Philippines in July and with Thailand in August.

Cambodia, although not showing any major changes in what was considered as a closed-door external policy, established diplomatic relations with Burma, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore after April. At the same time, the friendly stance toward neighboring nations was noticed as evidenced in the March 1977 visits of Deputy Premier Ieng Sary to Malaysia, Singapore, and Burma.

1. United Nations membership for Vietnam was debated in the Security Council in August and again in November, but the U.S.
2. Exercised its veto to block Vietnam’s admission.
3. 3) Southeast Asia (a) Intra-regional Relations In 1976, the Southeast Asian nations continued to work for increasing their resilience as national entities.

The ASEAN nations also stepped up their efforts for stronger intra-regional solidarity, including the holding of ASEAN’s first summit meeting of heads of state and government in February. (b) Individual Nations’ External Relations The Southeast Asian nations were watched as to how they would respond to the changes in Indochina.

1. The ASEAN states continued their efforts to readjust their relations with the Indochinese nations in 1976.
2. As to the Southeast Asian nations’ relations with China and the U.S.S.R., the Philippines established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in June.
3. However all of these nations remained fundamentally cautious toward China and the U.S.S.R., with the result that there were no conspicuous developments.

Relations between the ASEAN states and the U.S. were another focus of attention. In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, these nations pursued their independent foreign policies further, as illustrated by the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Thailand, but they still held strong expectations for a U.S.

Role within the region and showed major concern over U.S. post-election policy moves toward Southeast Asia. (c) Domestic Situations The most outstanding features of these nations’ domestic situations are as follows. In the Philippines, the October referendum approved partial revision of the Constitution for the continuation of martial law and establishment of the Interim Batasang Pambansa, which strengthened still further the Marcos Administration’s base.

In Malaysia, although Prime Minister Razak died in January and Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Onn succeeded him, no major policy changes were observed. By contrast, the October military coup d’état in Thailand established the Tanin Government and founded the National Administration Reform Assembly composed of Government-designated members.

In Singapore, the ruling People’s Action Party again captured all seats contested in the December election to demonstrate anew the current Government’s stability with this third straight sweep. In Indonesia, more animated public opinion was seen in preparation for the May 1977 general election. In Burma, despite the coup d’états planned by some military officers and other opposition, none of them posed any threat to the incumbent Government.

(4) Southwest Asia (a) Domestic Developments The domestic political and economic situations of the nations on the Indian Subcontinent, though harboring various unstable factors beneath the surface, passed the year 1976 in relative stability with no major disruptions.

In India, the Constitutional amendments designed to legitimize the political system under the state of emergency passed Congress in November, while in neighboring Bangladesh November saw Army Chief of Staff Ziaur assume the post of Chief Martial Law Administrator and further solidify his power base.

In 1977, however, the nations of Southwest Asia entered a time of transition, as illustrated by the March Lower House elections in both India and Pakistan. In India, Prime Minister Gandhi’s Congress Party was trounced by the united opposition Janata Party and the first non-Congress Government in India’s history was formed under Desai.

In Pakistan, the Bhutto-led People’s Party scored a major victory but the united opposition Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) mounted a campaign charging election irregularities and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Bhutto and the holding of new elections, with the result that Pakistani domestic politics entered a period of instability.

(b) External Relations As to the foreign relations within the region, India and Pakistan normalized diplomatic relations in May 1976 and progress was also seen in improving such relations as those between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The Desai Government, which took office in India in March 1977, also indicated a desire to have friendly and neighborly relations with other nations of the region.

In Sino-Indian relations too, signs of improvement were seen after 14 years of conflict or chilliness, and the two nations agreed in April 1976 to exchange ambassadors. (5) Oceania Having come to power in the general elections of late 1975, Australia’s Liberal Party-National Country Party coalition and New Zealand’s National Party devoted their energies to overcoming the economic difficulties which brought them to power.

Nevertheless, the battle against inflation and for economic recovery was not an unqualified success, and both nations devalued their currencies in late November 1976. In their foreign relations, the new Governments of Australia and New Zealand placed a greater emphasis on relations with the U.S.

than did the former Labor Party Governments, and at the same time endeavored to promote cooperation with Japan, ASEAN, and the South Pacific nations and to maintain friendly relations with China. (6) Western Europe Many Western European nations held general elections (Sweden, West Germany, Malta, Italy, and Portugal) or had new Prime Ministers (Britain and France) in 1976.

Especially noteworthy were the major advances by the Italian Communist Party and the defeat of Sweden’s Social Democratic Party. Democratic reform was undertaken in Spain in preparation for the holding of the June 1977 general election, and in Portugal a new Constitution was established to lay the foundations for democratization.

In the economic field, as symbolized by the re-withdrawal of the French franc from the European joint-float snake the devaluations of the British pound and the Italian lira, the revaluation of the Deutsche mark, and other currency problems, the gap between such economically strong nations as West Germany and such economically weak nations as Britain and Italy widened to the point where its resolution was keenly felt as an issue of major importance for the EC.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), strongly concerned about the military build-up by the Warsaw Pact nations, worked hard for increased cooperation among member nations, reinforcement of U.S. forces in Europe, weapons standardization, and other measures to maintain and strengthen current arrangements.

• 7) European East-West Relations Despite the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in 1975, no major progress was seen in European East-West relations in 1976.
• A focal point of interest in East-West relations was how the East would respond to Western demands for implementation of the points agreed upon in the Final Act of the CSCE, especially Basket 3 (for the free flow of people and information).

However, the East in its response mixed both hard- and soft-line policies, such as by running counter-campaigns in the Western press while relaxing travel restrictions on Western journalists. At the same time, the East made such proposals as for the holding of an all-Europe cooperation council on environmental, transport, and energy issues and for declarations of no first use of nuclear weapons, but the Western response was cold and the discussion-lagged after summer 1976.

One more focus of East-West relations in Europe was the MBFR negotiations. While these were continued in 1976, no concrete progress was seen, and there was instead notable wariness in the West over the continuing military build-up by the East. Economically, Comecon made a proposal to the EC for a comprehensive agreement in February to which the EC responded in November with a counter-proposal for an agreement covering information exchanges alone.

In June, U.S. Secretary of State Kissinger made a proposal at the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for a rethinking of East-West economic relations. (8) Middle East Although differences were already evident among the Arab states regarding the Second Sinai Agreement and other points, these differences became further complicated and serious by Syria’s intervention in the Lebanese conflict.

1. No new progress was made in discussions for a Middle East peace.
2. The Lebanese civil war, which erupted in April 1975, developed into an increasingly complex conflict in 1976 as the battle between Christians and Moslems was joined by forces seeking Palestine’s liberation and even the Syrian armed forces.

It was under these circumstances that the summit meeting of six Arab heads of state and the eighth Arab leadership conference were held in October at the initiative of Saudi Arabia and others concerned over this exacerbation of intra-Arab differences, these conferences yielding agreement on a Lebanese cease-fire and the dispatch of peace-keeping troops, respect for the Cairo Agreement on the status of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and other arrangements, thus calming the conflict in Lebanon for the time being.

• In 1977, the Arab-African Summit was held in March and the African states affirmed their support for the Arab position on Middle East problems.
• There were also active exchanges of opinion between the PLO and Arab nations as the Arafat leadership sought to consolidate its position while still holding the Palestine People’s Council and indicating a realistic policy line.

Along with these Arab moves, efforts were further strengthened for international mediation.U.N. Secretary General Waldheim visited the Middle East in February 1977 to seek a reconvening of the Geneva Conference. During the same month, the new Carter administration also dispatched Secretary of State Vance to the Middle East to hear the views of the leaders of various countries, while inviting the leaders of the countries concerned to Washington for exchanges of opinions by turns in and after March.

1. 9) Africa Africa in 1976 drew considerable world attention for the independence movements of the non-self-governing territories, especially the issue of Southern Rhodesia.
2. In Southern Rhodesia, black guerilla activity seeking to overthrow white minority rule became more intensified, in part influenced by the establishment of an Angolan People’s Liberation Movement (MPLA) Government in nearby Angola.

Concerned over a deteriorating situation, the U.S. sent Secretary of State Kissinger to the area to work for a political solution, and as a result the Smith Government agreed to majority rule within two years. Although a Geneva Conference was subsequently held between the black liberation forces and the Smith Government with Britain as chairman, no agreement was reached on the make-up of an interim government or other aspects, and the Conference was broken off.

1. In Namibia, the Southwest Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) had been demanding direct negotiations with the South African Government, and to this the South African Government responded by somewhat softening its posture after around mid-1976, recognizing Namibian independence at the end of 1978.
2. In the Republic of South Africa, no basic changes were seen in the policy of apartheid despite the black riots in June and beyond.
3. Among the developments affecting the remaining non-self-governing territories may be cited Seychelles’s independence from Britain in June.
4. Economically, with the exception of a few favored nations, such as oil-producing Nigeria and Gabon or coffee-producing Kenya and Ivory Coast, most African nations were troubled by domestic economic sluggishness resulting from rising prices and international balance of payments deficits generated by slow primary-product exports and soaring import prices.
5. (10) Latin America
6. Among the notable developments in Latin America in 1976 may be cited the increasing trend to military rule in southern South America, including the installation of a military government in Argentina, and the tendency to pay a generally greater respect to rationality in economic management.

Cuba established a new Constitution in February, making its tilt toward the Soviet Union still more explicit, and developed a foreign policy pivoting on harmony with the U.S.S.R. and other Comecon nations. Nonetheless, Cuba suffered from a shortage of capital for building its economy as sugar prices plummeted, and the first five-year plan was off to a very difficult start in its initial year.

The U.S. moved in 1976 to strengthen its ties with the nations of Latin America by announcing a policy of respecting the will of Latin America in Panama Canal negotiations and implementing a new trade act, sending Secretary of State Kissinger on a visit to ten Latin American nations, and otherwise initiating the “new dialogue” proposed by Secretary of State Kissinger in 1973.

At the same time, the Latin American nations’ relations with the socialist states were generally low-keyed, a minor exception being the Soviet offer of military aircraft to Peru. Nonetheless, the Soviet approach to Venezuela attracted attention as part of a broader Soviet energy strategy and policy vis-a-vis the developing nations.

• II. Multilateral Relations
• 1. The Economies of the Industrialized Democracies
• The economies of the industrialized democracies slowed in mid-year after showing recovery in the first half of 1976.

The pace of recovery varied considerably according to the economies of these countries, and sluggishness in individual consumption and plant investment was seen as holding the economic recovery in check. Under the circumstances, it was feared that some nations would spark renewed inflation along with recovery, and nations whose economies did not recover experienced continuous difficulties with inflation, high unemployment rates, and worsening international balances of payments.

1. In a follow-up to the first Summit Meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Major Industrialized Countries, the June Puerto Rico summit reaffirmed the common will of the industrialized democracies to find effective solutions to the problems of the global economy through strengthened harmony among nations.
2. The problem of trade imbalance surfaced between Japan and the EC, some of whose members were facing serious economic difficulties, but efforts to avert any exacerbation of this problem were continued through two-way cooperation based upon free-trade principles.
3. 2. North-South Problems

The North-South dialogue was continued in 1976. Especially at the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC) convened in December 1975 and at the 4th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in May 1976, the whole gamut of the North-South problem was reviewed.

As illustrated at the August summit conference of non-aligned nations, the developing nations set the establishment of a new international economic order as their ultimate goal and tended to give this demand increasingly concrete shape, as was seen in their demand for the adoption of the UNCTAD Integrated Program for Commodities.

Because it was feared that the CIEC Ministerial Session scheduled for 1976 might prove unable to reach agreement between the two sides under such circumstances, the session was not held and the CIEC was left unfinished.3. Formation of a New Maritime Order The fourth and fifth sessions of the Third United Nations Law of the Sea Conference were held in New York in 1976.

• At the fourth session, the single negotiation proposal submitted by the Chairman at the third session was deliberated and a revised draft formulated.
• Negotiations at the fifth session concentrated on those points in the revised single proposal where differences of opinion were strongest, including exploitation of the deep-sea seabeds, the legal status of economic zones, and defining the outer perimeters of continental shelves.

However, there were especially strong differences between the developed and developing nations overexploitation of deep-sea seabeds, and the session ended with no concrete achievements except the decision to hold the sixth session in the summer of 1977.

• The difficulties encountered in this Conference in turn spurred moves by coastal nations to expand their jurisdiction so as to conserve their fishery resources.
• While Japan and some other countries, seeking to protect their pelagic fishing and international maritime transport interests, insisted that any expansion of coastal nations’ jurisdiction should be effected through international consensus at the Law of the Sea Conference, the establishment of 200-mile economic zones by the U.S.

and other leading nations sparked the Soviet Union, EC nations, and others to follow suit with 200-mile economic zones of their own, leading to the advent of an era in which such 200-mile zones have become internationally common-place. As a consequence, there was also a spate of bilateral fishery agreements concluded premised upon acceptance of these 200-mile economic zones.4.

1. Nuclear Non-proliferation In keeping with the increasing advocacy by the U.S.
2. And other nations of tighter restrictions to prevent nuclear proliferation in the wake of India’s 1974 nuclear test, President Ford announced a hard-line policy in October 1976 concerning the peaceful uses of atomic energy, including the issue of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel which might lead to development of a capacity to produce nuclear weapons.

As the new Carter Administration has taken an even harder line on this than did President Ford international concern has come to focus on the question of how to advance the peaceful use of atomic energy while still avoiding the danger of proliferation.

Did Europe have a drought in 1976?

Hydrological Drought – The hydrological drought peak occurred on July(7) 1, 1976 and covered the majority of temperate Europe, extending from the UK and France in the west to Russia in the east. The Mediterranean region was largely unaffected. Peak hydrological drought. with Hydrological drought is based on output nine large-scale hydrological models. Viewed spatially (left), areas with runoff below the 10th and 20th percentiles are shown in red and orange, respectively. The cluster centre (right) shows the centroid from each of the hydrological models during the drought peak.

Has the Earth been hotter than it is now?

This article was first published in August 2014, and it has been updated to include new research published since then. This article is one of a two-part series on past temperatures, including how warm the Earth has been “lately.” Our 4.54-billion-year-old planet probably experienced its hottest temperatures in its earliest days, when it was still colliding with other rocky debris ( planetesimals ) careening around the solar system.

• The heat of these collisions would have kept Earth molten, with top-of-the-atmosphere temperatures upward of 3,600° Fahrenheit.
• Even after those first scorching millennia, however, the planet has often been much warmer than it is now.
• One of the warmest times was during the geologic period known as the Neoproterozoic, between 600 and 800 million years ago.

Conditions were also frequently sweltering between 500 million and 250 million years ago. And within the last 100 million years, two major heat spikes occurred: the Cretaceous Hot Greenhouse (about 92 million years ago), and the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (about 56 million years ago). Cartoon by Emily Greenhalgh, NOAA Climate.gov.

What is the hottest day in history?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about weather related temperatures. For geological related readings, see geothermal gradient and hot spring, For extreme temperatures reached through experimental means, see Fusion power, The highest temperature recorded on Earth has been measured in three major ways: air, ground, and via satellite observation.

Air measurements are used as the standard measurement due to persistent issues with unreliable ground and satellite readings. Air measurements are noted by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Guinness World Records among others as the standard to be used for determining the official record.

The current official highest registered air temperature on Earth is 56.7 °C (134.1 °F), recorded on 10 July 1913 at Furnace Creek Ranch, in Death Valley in the United States, For ninety years, a former record that was measured in Libya had been in place, until it was decertified in 2012 based on evidence that it was an erroneous reading.

• This finding has since raised questions about the legitimacy of the 1913 record measured in Death Valley, with several meteorological experts asserting that there were similar irregularities.
• The WMO has stood by the record as official pending any future investigative results.
• If the current record were to be decertified then the holder would be a tie at 54.0 °C (129.2 °F), recorded both at Furnace Creek and in Kuwait,

Several unverified temperatures that exceed the current record have also been recorded. These include historical claims that were never authenticated due to the equipment available at the time and unverified scientific claims. There are also disproven amateur readings that have been posted on social media showing evidence of extreme temperature.

What was the worst heat wave in history?

20th century –

• 1901 – 1901 eastern United States heat wave killed 9,500 in the Eastern United States,
• 1906 – during the 1906 United Kingdom heat wave which began in August and lasted into September broke numerous records. On September 2 temperatures reached 35.6 °C (96.1 °F), which still holds the September record, however some places beat their local record during September 1911 and September 2016.
• 1911 – 1911 Eastern North America heat wave killed between 380 and 2,000 people.
• 1911 – 1911 United Kingdom heat wave was one of the most severe periods of heat to hit the country with temperatures around 36 °C (97 °F). The heat began in early July and didn’t let up until mid-September where even in September temperatures were still up to 33 °C (91 °F). It took 79 years for temperature higher to be recorded in the United Kingdom during 1990 United Kingdom heat wave,
• 1911 – 41,072 deaths were reported during a heat wave in France,
• 1913 – in July, the hottest heat wave ever struck California. During this heat wave, Death Valley recorded a record high temperature of 57 °C (134 °F) at Furnace Creek, which still remains the highest ambient air temperature recorded on Earth.
• 1921 – Hottest July on record across Eastern Canada and parts of the Northeastern US, part of a very warm year in those places. Parts of the United Kingdom also saw recording breaking heat, also part of a very warm year. The Central England Temperature for July was 18.5 °C (65.3 °F), which was the 8th warmest since records began in 1659, and the warmest since 1852. The year of 1921 was the warmest on record at the time but has since been eclipsed by 15 other years.
• 1923–1924 – during a period of 160 such days from 31 October 1923 to 7 April 1924, the Western Australian town of Marble Bar reached 38 °C (100 °F).
• 1930s – Almost every year from 1930 to 1938 featured historic heat waves and droughts somewhere in North America, part of the Dust Bowl years.
• 1936 – 1936 North American heat wave during the Dust Bowl, followed one of the coldest winters on record—the 1936 North American cold wave, Massive heat waves across North America were persistent in the 1930s, many mid-Atlantic/Ohio valley states recorded their highest temperatures during July 1934. The longest continuous string of 38 °C (100 °F) or higher temperatures was reached for 101 days in Yuma, Arizona during 1937 and the highest temperatures ever reached in Canada were recorded in two locations in Saskatchewan in July 1937.
• 1947 – record breaking temperature of 37.6 °C (99.7 °F) in Paris recorded on June 26, 1947.
• 1950s – Prolonged severe drought and heat wave occurred in the early 1950s throughout the central and southern United States. Every year from 1952 to 1955 featured major heat waves across North America. In some areas it was drier than during the Dust Bowl and the heat wave in most areas was within the top five on record. The heat was particularly severe in 1954 with 22 days of temperatures exceeding 38 °C (100 °F) covering significant parts of eleven states. On 14 July, the thermometer reached 47 °C (117 °F) at East St. Louis, Illinois, which remains the record highest temperature for that state.
• October 1952 – Romania was hit by very hot weather. Temperatures reached 39.0 °C (102.2 °F) on 2 October, with Bucharest reaching 35.2 °C (95.4 °F). Temperatures on the night of 2–3 October were also just under 26 °C (79 °F).
• 1955 – 1955 United Kingdom heat wave was a period of hot weather that was accompanied by drought. In some places it was the worst drought on record, more severe than 1976 and 1995.
• 1960 – on 2 January, Oodnadatta, South Australia hit 50.7 °C (123.3 °F) degrees, the highest temperature ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere and Oceania.
• 1972 – heat waves of 1972 in New York and Northeastern United States were significant. Almost 900 people died; the heat conditions lasted almost 16 days, aggravated by very high humidity levels.
• 1976 – 1976 United Kingdom heat wave was one of the hottest in living memory and was marked by constant blue skies from May until September when dramatic thunderstorms signalled the heat wave’s end.
• 1980 – estimated 1,000 people died in the 1980 United States heat wave and drought, which impacted the central and eastern United States. Temperatures were highest in the southern plains. From June through September, temperatures remained above 32 °C (90 °F) all but two days in Kansas City, Missouri, The Dallas/Fort Worth area experienced 42 consecutive days with high temperatures above 38 °C (100 °F), with temperatures reaching 47 °C (117 °F) at Wichita Falls, Texas on 28 June. Economic losses were $20 billion (1980 dollars).
• 1981 – August 1981 heat wave in the Pacific Northwest.
• 1983 – during the Summer of 1983 temperatures over 38 °C (100 °F) were common across Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, and certain parts of Kentucky ; the summer of 1983 remains one of the hottest summers ever recorded in many of the states affected. The hundred-degree readings were accompanied by very dry conditions associated with drought affecting the Corn Belt States and Upper Midwest, The heat also affected the Southeastern U.S. and the Mid-Atlantic states as well that same summer. New York Times represented articles about the heat waves of 1983 affecting the central United States, This heat wave was associated with the I-94 derecho,
• 1983 – United Kingdom experienced a heatwave during July 1983. This was the hottest month ever recorded until it was beaten in 2006.

Temperature difference in Europe from the average during the European heat wave of 2003

• 1987 – prolonged heat wave from 20 to 31 July in Greece, with more than 1,000 deaths in the area of Athens, The maximum temperature measured was 41.9 °C (107.4 °F) at 23 July at the center of Athens and in the suburb of Nea Philadelphia, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northeast was 43.6 °C (110.5 °F) on 27 July, and were combined with high minima, with the highest being 30.2 °C (86.4 °F) in the center of Athens at 27 July and 29.9 °C (85.8 °F) at 24 July at Nea Philadelfia. The lowest minimum was 25.6 °C (78.1 °F) at the center of Athens. Moreover, humidity was high and wind speeds low, contributing to human discomfort, even during the night.
• 1988 – intense heat spells in combination with the drought of 1988, reminiscent of the dust bowl years caused deadly results across the United States. Official estimates report that 5,000 to 10,000 people died because of constant heat across the United States. Some estimates put total deaths at close to 17,000.
• 1990 – cities across the United Kingdom broke their all-time temperature records in the dramatic 1990 United Kingdom heat wave temperatures peaked at 37 °C (99 °F). This led to one of the hottest Augusts on record, records going back to 1659. Also in France a several days during heat wave is reported (France-Soir, 4 September 1990) with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
• 1994 – Intense heat wave in Poland between July and August, with maximum temperature 39,5 degrees of Celsius. This heat caused 1076 additional deaths in 10 largest polish cities.
• 1995 – 1995 Chicago heat wave produced record high dew point levels and heat indices in the Chicago area and Wisconsin ; temperatures reached as high as 41 °C (106 °F). The lack of emergency cooling facilities and inadequate response from civic authorities to the senior population, particularly in lower income neighborhoods in Chicago and other Midwestern cities, lead to at least 778 deaths—mostly which were African American Chicagoans. A series of damaging derechos occurred on the periphery of the hot air dome.
• 1995 – United Kingdom experienced its 3rd hottest summer since 1659. August was the hottest on record since 1659. The summer was also the driest on record since 1766. Temperatures peaked at 35 °C (95 °F) on 1 August, which did not break the all-time record.
• 1997 – United Kingdom experienced its 3rd major heatwave in 7 years with August 1997 being one of the hottest on record.
• 1999 – heat wave and drought in the eastern United States during the summer of 1999. Rainfall shortages resulted in worst drought on record for Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The state of West Virginia was declared a disaster area.3.81 million acres (15,400 km 2 ) were consumed by fire as of mid-August. Record heat throughout the country resulted in 502 deaths nationwide. There were many deaths in urban centers of the Midwest.
• 2000 – in late Summer 2000, a heat wave occurred in the southern United States, breaking many cities’ all-time maximum temperature records.

Why was it so hot in the 1930s?

Overview The “Dust Bowl” years of 1930-36 brought some of the hottest summers on record to the United States, especially across the Plains, Upper Midwest and Great Lake States. For the Upper Mississippi River Valley, the first few weeks of July 1936 provided the hottest temperatures of that period, including many all-time record highs (see tab below).

1. The string of hot, dry days was also deadly.
2. Nationally, around 5000 deaths were associated with the heat wave.
3. In La Crosse, WI, there were 14 consecutive days (July 5th-18th) where the high temperature was 90 degrees or greater, and 9 days that were at or above 100°F.
4. Six record July temperatures set during this time still stand, including the hottest day on record with 108°F on the 14th.

The average high temperature for La Crosse during this stretch of extreme heat was 101°F, and the mean temperature for the month finished at 79.5°F – 2nd highest on record. Several factors led to the deadly heat of July 1936:

A series of droughts affected the U.S. during the early 1930s. The lack of rain parched the earth and killed vegetation, especially across the Plains states. Poor land management (farming techniques) across the Plains furthered the impact of the drought, with lush wheat fields becoming barren waste lands. Without the vegetation and soil moisture, the Plains acted as a furnace. The climate of that region took on desert qualities, accentuating its capacity to produce heat. A strong ridge of high pressure set up over the west coast and funneled the heat northward across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes.

As a result of the “Dust Bowl”, new farming methods and techniques were developed, along with a focus on soil conservation. This has helped to avert or minimize the impact of a prolonged drought.

Graphics / Maps Temperatures (July 5-18, 1936) All-Time Records

Temperatures July 5-11, 1936

Location	July 5	July 6	July 7	July 8	July 9	July 10	July 11
Decorah, IA	101°F	106°F	104°F	101°F	104°F	103°F	107°F
New Hampton, IA	106°F	104°F	102°F	100°F	100°F	104°F	104°F
Rochester, MN	92°F	105°F	102°F	99°F	101°F	105°F	104°F
Grand Meadow, MN	93°F	104°F	100°F	97°F	98°F	103°F	102°F
Mondovi, WI	90°F	M	100°F	101°F	95°F	92°F	106°F
Richland Center, WI	93°F	100°F	102°F	100°F	101°F	103°F	105°F
Hatfield, WI	87°F	95°F	103°F	100°F	102°F	100°F	104°F
La Crosse, WI	94°F	100°F	104°F	102°F	102°F	100°F	104°F
Lancaster, WI	98°F	101°F	103°F	100°F	101°F	102°F	105°F
Viroqua, WI	95°F	100°F	102°F	102°F	99°F	98°F	104°F
Mather, WI	88°F	90°F	97°F	101°F	100°F	102°F	101°F
Medford, WI	84°F	89°F	100°F	97°F	98°F	94°F	100°F

Temperatures July 12-18, 1936

Location	July 12	July 13	July 14	July 15	July 16	July 17	July 18
Decorah, IA	101°F	109°F	111°F	102°F	103°F	106°F	100°F
New Hampton, IA	108°F	110°F	110°F	106°F	106°F	104°F	100°F
Rochester, MN	107°F	107°F	108°F	100°F	101°F	102°F	96°F
Grand Meadow, MN	105°F	105°F	106°F	97°F	100°F	101°F	96°F
Mondovi, WI	109°F	109°F	110°F	M	M	100°F	100°F
Richland Center, WI	108°F	109°F	110°F	102°F	97°F	101°F	94°F
Hatfield, WI	105°F	107°F	108°F	106°F	97°F	96°F	98°F
La Crosse, WI	105°F	106°F	108°F	95°F	97°F	101°F	96°F
Lancaster, WI	106°F	107°F	108°F	99°F	98°F	100°F	84°F
Viroqua, WI	106°F	108°F	108°F	105°F	96°F	100°F	M
Mather, WI	100°F	105°F	106°F	106°F	98°F	97°F	98°F
Medford, WI	103°F	104°F	104°F	92°F	96°F	90°F	92°F

Why 25 degrees really is hot in the UK?

Why do heatwaves in the UK feel hotter than abroad? | The Week UK

• For the first time ever the Met Office has issued a “Red Extreme” heat warning, with areas of the UK forecast to reach 40C next week.
• The red alert means that there is a “very likely” risk to life and it will cover “an area from London up to Manchester and then up to the Vale of York”, reported,
• There is also a 50% chance that temperatures will reach 40C “somewhere in the UK, likely along the A1 corridor”, which would be an “iconic threshold” that “shows that climate change is with us now”, said Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge.

And there is an 80% chance that the mercury will exceed the 38.7C record set at Cambridge Botanic Garden on 25 July 2019.

1. “Substantial disruption” is predicted and Brits are advised to make changes to their daily routine, such as avoiding travel during the hottest times of day.
2. As the UK prepares for soaring temperatures, many people have questioned why British heat feels more “unbearable” than elsewhere, said Lucy Williamson on,
3. Her thoughts were echoed by a user, who wrote: “No idea why but when it is even only 25C in Britain feels a lot hotter than it does at well above 35C elsewhere.”

Humidity is one reason, explained the Met Office. The UK has a higher level of humidity than the European continent and “it is harder for the human body to keep cool as your sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly.” It also doesn’t help that buildings in the UK are “designed to keep heat in, compared to hotter countries”, which also makes “tropical nights” – defined as being where the temperature doesn’t drop below 20C – worse.

1. No respite from the heat at night means our bodies don’t get a chance to cool down.
2. Partly, though, it is psychological.
3. When we are on holiday, we are expecting the heat and so come more prepared,” added the Met Office.
4. When abroad on holiday our intentions are generally to relax and we’re more likely to drink water, go swimming, apply sunscreen, wear lightweight clothes and take regular breaks from the sun.

Back in the UK, as we carry on our daily lives, we are less likely to take as much care in warmer temperatures. As Williamson puts it: “Brits are notoriously bad at coping with the heat.” Along with the red weather warning, the UK Health Security Agency has raised its heat health warning to level 4, which is issued when a heatwave is so severe that illness may occur among fit and healthy people.

It is important, then, to stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, “when the UV rays are strongest” and while both alerts are in place, the recommended. Suncream is a must, as is carrying water with you when outside. Walking in the shade is also strongly advised, along with wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

And there are steps you can take to protect yourself from high temperatures while at home. Closing sun-facing curtains will “keep indoor spaces cooler”, although it is important to remember that at times “it may be cooler outdoors than indoors”. The Met Office has also advised Brits to keep with the latest weather forecast and warnings over the next few days.

How many people died in 1976 heatwave?

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows 26,364 deaths were recorded between 23 June and 8 July that year – 3,676 more than the previous five-year average for the same dates.

Was the summer of 1978 hot?

July 15 marked not only midmonth, but also the highpoint of the hot regime of the summer of 1978. On that day temperatures were higher nationwide than on any other day of the year.

Why 25 degrees really is hot in the UK?

Why do heatwaves in the UK feel hotter than abroad? | The Week UK

• For the first time ever the Met Office has issued a “Red Extreme” heat warning, with areas of the UK forecast to reach 40C next week.
• The red alert means that there is a “very likely” risk to life and it will cover “an area from London up to Manchester and then up to the Vale of York”, reported,
• There is also a 50% chance that temperatures will reach 40C “somewhere in the UK, likely along the A1 corridor”, which would be an “iconic threshold” that “shows that climate change is with us now”, said Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge.

And there is an 80% chance that the mercury will exceed the 38.7C record set at Cambridge Botanic Garden on 25 July 2019.

1. “Substantial disruption” is predicted and Brits are advised to make changes to their daily routine, such as avoiding travel during the hottest times of day.
2. As the UK prepares for soaring temperatures, many people have questioned why British heat feels more “unbearable” than elsewhere, said Lucy Williamson on,
3. Her thoughts were echoed by a user, who wrote: “No idea why but when it is even only 25C in Britain feels a lot hotter than it does at well above 35C elsewhere.”

Humidity is one reason, explained the Met Office. The UK has a higher level of humidity than the European continent and “it is harder for the human body to keep cool as your sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly.” It also doesn’t help that buildings in the UK are “designed to keep heat in, compared to hotter countries”, which also makes “tropical nights” – defined as being where the temperature doesn’t drop below 20C – worse.

• No respite from the heat at night means our bodies don’t get a chance to cool down.
• Partly, though, it is psychological.
• When we are on holiday, we are expecting the heat and so come more prepared,” added the Met Office.
• When abroad on holiday our intentions are generally to relax and we’re more likely to drink water, go swimming, apply sunscreen, wear lightweight clothes and take regular breaks from the sun.

Back in the UK, as we carry on our daily lives, we are less likely to take as much care in warmer temperatures. As Williamson puts it: “Brits are notoriously bad at coping with the heat.” Along with the red weather warning, the UK Health Security Agency has raised its heat health warning to level 4, which is issued when a heatwave is so severe that illness may occur among fit and healthy people.

It is important, then, to stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, “when the UV rays are strongest” and while both alerts are in place, the recommended. Suncream is a must, as is carrying water with you when outside. Walking in the shade is also strongly advised, along with wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

And there are steps you can take to protect yourself from high temperatures while at home. Closing sun-facing curtains will “keep indoor spaces cooler”, although it is important to remember that at times “it may be cooler outdoors than indoors”. The Met Office has also advised Brits to keep with the latest weather forecast and warnings over the next few days.

Was the summer of 1975 hot?

Summer 1975 was the warmest Summer since since 1947 with a CET of 16.9C. Here’s a summary of this Summer. JUNE The start of June was extraordinary, it was cold, there were frosts and there was snow. A low pressure just to the north of Scotland moved southwards introducing a pool of unusually cold Arctic air for the time of the year that spread to most parts on the 2nd.

• Snow showers were reported widely across the UK and there was lying snow over some of the hills in the north, 10cm in parts of the Highlands.
• The weather changed on the 4th, as a warm front moved up from the SW introducing very warm air.
• Temperatures were into the high 20s and with high pressure close by, there was plenty of sunshine.

This weather was more or less to last to the 14th, with hot and sunny weather and temperatures into the high 20s. A cold front on the 14th introduced cooler weather and a liitle bit of rain. This heralded a short unsettled spell of weather with Atlantic systems moving into the UK, although the SE saw little rain.

Pressure increased on the 20th and this gave a fine warm spell with temperatures into the high 20s but as the high moved further westwards, cooler winds from the north brought lower temperatures and even ground frost in places at the end of the month. JULY The first few days of July was dominated by high pressure and it was dry, warm and fairly sunny.

On the 8th, low pressure from Biscay moved into the SW and this system gave thunderstorms in the south and an inch of rain fell in places. The low pressure became slow moving over the UK giving rain or thunderstorms. On the 12th, a new low moved into the SW and this gave further rain but the SE became largely dry and warm with temperatures around 26C.

• This was the most unsettled spell of the Summer with Atlantic systems moving in from the west and heavy rain for western slopes of the UK.
• It wasn’t until the 25th before the weather settled down as the Azores high ridged towards the UK, temperatures were into the low 30s in the south but as a cold front moved down from the NW engaged the hot air, thunderstorms broke out across the SE.

AUGUST With high pressure across the UK, the weather for the start of August was very warm and sunny but as it moved towards Scandinavia, it introduced a very hot SEly flow from the continent and temperatures rose even higher across the UK.32C was reported across parts of the UK, Glasgow:31.2C, RAF Gloucester 33.9C.

Troughs engaging the hot air brought some thunderstorms but the hot spell lasted to about the 8th in the west but it wasn’t until the 14th the weather broke in the east with severe thunderstorms including the Hampstead storm. (The Hampstead storm will be in a separate article). The weather was then generally unsettled until the 24th with Atlantic systems moving in from the west.

From the 24th to 29th, the Azores high was back to bring a spell of warm, dry sunny weather but on the 29th, low pressure developed across the near continent and this brought unsettled weather especially to the SE with some rain at the end of the month.