The 17th Century:- Storm and Snow...Worcestershire.

[ANYWEATHER]

1603-1605..A very damp and dismal time, with the plague raging and both people and animals suffering great hardship and disease with a shortage of food and fresh water.Torential rain was broken by extreme heat and drought. Crop failures were common.

1607-1608....Such cold prevailed especially between December 5th and February 4th that all streams and rivers froze to a depth that fires could be lit upon the ice. Blizzards  caused drifts up to 25ft .

1615...On January 16th began the greatest snows within living memory. The snow increased daily until March 12th and there were further snows in April and drifts in the hills until late May. This was followed by intense heat and Violent thunderstorms in August which brought flooding.

1620...Frost fairs took place on the River Thames and to some extent on the Rivers Wye and Severn, with pig roasts on the frozen river as far as Gloucester. Heavy snow and thick river ice formed later that year by November 29th. Severe flooding occurred and 68 people lost their lives near Bewdley when the thaw began.

1622...January and the preceeding months were like summer but on February 18th at about 4am , Storm force winds brought down trees ,chimneys and steeples . Heavy rains until May made seed sowing late . December saw the return of the great frosts....

1640...An extremely backward Spring for grass and fruit .Crops were damaged by intense storms and harvests were ruined by flooding rains..

1683-1684...A cold winter brought intense frost with the longest frost in living memory. Ice on the Rivers Wye and Severn and Avon and Teme were at least a foot thick.  Tents were erected on the Wye near Hay On Wye. A severe drought followed. 

1698...A cold wet season. On May 8th frost and snow moved in . The cold came out of nowhere and dissappeared just as quick.

[LetItSnow!]

I hope to see a winter like 1683/1684 in my lifetime. Some may say it’s not possible but I still believe. 337 years later and it’s still not been beat in the record book. Winter 2021/2022 I dare you