13/06/2026
On Moday week, ill be attending a climate conference marking the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of '76
The Summer of 1976 remains one of the most iconic weather events in UK history. It is embedded in the national memory through images of crowded beaches, parched lawns and standpipes in the streets as water supplies ran short in homes. Many however, don’t remember that summer’s failed harvests, rising food prices, extensive wildfires and heat-related illness suffered by many at major events such as Wimbledon. The country also faced the threat of a three-day working week due to pressure on water and electricity supplies.
The Summer of 1976 heatwave led to around 20% excess mortality, with approximately 250 deaths per day during the 15-day peak beginning on 23 June 1976. The prolonged dry and hot conditions were eventually followed by extreme rainfall, culminating in significant flooding by the August Bank Holiday.
Fifty years on, this anniversary offers a moment to reflect on the summer of 1976 and what this means for future generations and the way of life in the UK. Even more extreme summers than that experienced in 1976 are expected to become the norm in the coming decades. Summers with temperatures exceeding 40C are expected to become more frequent, fuelled by high human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, with the majority coming from burning fossil fuels.
The Summer of 1976 50th Anniversary event will open with weather presenters Laura Tobin, Peter Gibbs and Clare Nasir stepping up alongside Stephen Belcher, Chief Scientist and Technology Officer at the Met Office, and Professor Ed Hawkins, University of Reading, to present:
The Summer of 1976 as it was vs Summer 2025
A weather forecast showing how 1976 would unfold today in a much warmer world, based on new research from the University of Reading
A future and unprecedented weather forecast for 2056, modelled by the Met Office, showing the UK reaching devastating temperatures never recorded before in the UK and an increase in tropical nights
These forecasts will be followed by expert presentations that will address the considerable implications for our children, health, food and water security, and our fire and rescue services, including:
Professor Ed Hawkins, University of Reading, presenting for the first time the ‘climate stripes’ for future British summers and what they mean for future generations
Professor Hayley Fowler, University of Newcastle, on the implications for the UK’s water supply
Professor Paul Behrens, University of Oxford, on the implications for food security
Professor Mike Tipton, University of Plymouth, and Dr Hugh Montgomery, UCL, on the implications for public health
Nathaniel Hooton, Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service
Liz Bentley, CEO of the Royal Meteorological Society, will then reflect on her childhood growing up in Yorkshire during the Summer of 1976 before introducing high-profile figures, grandparents, parents and young people who, in partnership with Parents for Future, will read letters reflecting on the future now facing them, their families and the generations that will follow.
Attendees will include MPs, policymakers, national media, notable figures from 1976 and today, and social media voices representing all generations.
