1976 European heatwave

The pressure system moved into place in late May 1976 and remained until the first traces of rain were recorded on 27 August.

During this spell of hot weather temperatures exceeded 32 °C (89.6 °F) at several weather stations within the United Kingdom every day and the town of Cheltenham had eleven, including seven successive days from 1 July - recording 35.9 °C (96.6 °F) on 3 July.

1976 was dubbed "the year of the ladybird" in that country due to the rise in the mass numbers of the insect brought on by the long hot period.

In the United Kingdom, the summer coincided with a 16-week dry spell, the longest recorded over England and Wales since 1727.

[6] The summer of 1976 is by now an established reference point for discussion in the UK of contemporary hot spells.