European Weather

A casual peruse of some of the history behind European weather.

The start of the 18th century saw very high temperatures throughout Europe with disastrous results for agriculture in many places. 

This warm weather repeated itself the following decade as Europe effectively saw considerable warming. In 1718 heat and drought hit most of Europe.In Paris thermometers reportedly rose above 98 Fahrenheit (36 Celcius) where the air was so oppressive that all the theatres shut and people spent the night outside. Scarcely any rain fell for 9 months. Major rivers run dry. In some areas fruit trees blossomed two or three times in the year but never fruited as the seasons fell out of kilter. The Seine, Rhine and Danbue dropped to very low levels  preventing navigation.

1723 and 1724 were both dry and hot. 1723 saw the area around London parched with Water being sold in Walthamstow for a penny a bucket. Scotland was hit hard with livestock lost to lack of water. It was described as "an extraordinary drought that the like was never known in the memory of man" - and that was in the Newcastle Courant in May 1723, before the heat of summer struck. But in Britain by July heavy rains were seen in the southern, middle and eastern counties from Worcestershire through to Suffolk

May 9th 1723 the Rhine was so shallow it could be forded in some places. Britain had relief from the drought whilst central Europe struggled over the summer months.

1745 saw further heat across the middle of Europe with no rain or dew for five months in parts of France and what is now modern Germany with leaves falling off trees in June and grass and pastures dieing off.

These were not heatwaves of a few days, but of months over a large area.

It is difficult to have an accurate picture of weather prior to 1854 as records are piecemeal, but it is clear from news reports, journals and writing that perhaps the renowned 1976 was not that unique when you look back. 

Prior to the eighteenth century I lose much access to primary sources available to me. But apparently in 1303 and 1304 the Rhine and Danube dried up. Prior to that the Battle of Kressenbrunn in July 1260 saw many reported to die from the heat as much as the battle itself.1474 saw extreme heat in Hungary with the Danube wadeable across it's width there.1538 to 1541 saw excessive heat. In 1556 drought saw wheat rise in price from 8s to 53s a quarter on 1556. 1652 saw a great drought in Scotland. 

Whether we like it or not the weather has always had extremes.