The Remarkable Snowfalls Of October 1836

Weather-history · October 19, 2008

The closing days of October 1836 were truely exceptional with severe frosts and heavy drifting snow which for the time of the year layed for an unusually considerable amount of time.

The last 3 days of October 1836 averaged just 0.7C (Overall CET of 8.6)

Here are one or two reports from this period.

Cobham, Surrey: Snow 2 inches deep remaining on ground for 5 days

Swaffham Bulbeck, Cambridgeshire: The last week in October 1836 was remarkable for its severity, there being sharp frosts at night and heavy drifting fall of snow which lay on the ground to the depth of several inches for days afterwards. I never remember any such snow as this so early in the season before. Newmarket Heath was so covered wth snow (it being the time of races) thast it was actually found necessary to sweep the course before the horses could run. A great deal of fruit was still ungathered and the apples in many places were hanging upon the trees, coated with snow."

Thwaite: A fall of snow for many hours to near a foot in depth with sharp frost (28F) at night. 30th:- Sharp frost and some snow.

From the Times of 4th November 1836

Zerouali lives · October 19, 2008

Was it an easterly that produced this snow??? If it was then that is strange.

Weather-history · October 3, 2021

On 19/10/2008 at 14:26, Zerouali lives said:

Was it an easterly that produced this snow??? If it was then that is strange.

This question was asked 13 years ago but someone today on UKWeatherworld has spotted that wetterzentrale archive goes back to 1836 and resurrected my thread on this on that site. According to this it was an early season northerly.