IT was the year many people went 45 days without rain, as Southampton recorded the UK’s highest temperature.

The current heatwave may be pretty remarkable, but it’s a long way off matching the summer of 1976.

That year, temperatures were often well into the 30s Celsius, or 90s Fahrenheit.

And on June 28, the UK’s highest temperature was recorded in Southampton, at 35.6 Celsius (96.1 Fahrenheit).

The weather had been dryer than normal ever since May 1975, so the hot summer of 1976 became a severe drought.

Today, temperatures are hitting 32C in the city. Highs are expected at 31C on Tuesday.