The very cold Halloween of 1934

[Weather-history]

The last day of October 1934 was notably cold with a strong arctic flow across the UK. Maxima were around 2-4C and there was some good snowfalls for October even as far south as the Midlands and even a covering, 21cms was record at West Linton in Lothian.

The last day of October 1934 was so cold that it shaved 0.3C off the CET to leave it 10.6C. It was the coldest October day CETwise of the 20th century. The following winter was however one of the mildest on record with a record breaking mild December

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

[drgl]

Just goes to show that even back then what happens in October has no baring on the coming winter!

[Weather-history]

From the Times of 1st November 1934.

[Polar Continental]

Thanks Mr Data, very interesting, also noticed autumn looks finished, those trees in the background were totally bare, and it’s only November 1st.

Paul

[johnholmes]

so snow can fall on a fairly widespread area before November, or rather did that year.

another absorbing read Mr D, tks again.

[Don]

This Haloween will be a far cry from 1934 then!

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Thanks Mr D, I love the old press cuttings.

[Weather-history]

Halloween 1836 was very cold and wintry with lying snow. That was even colder than Halloween 1934 and probably the coldest Halloween since at least 1772

[WhiteFox]

Fantastic!

I was swapping Hallowe'en stories with someone here yesterday saying about how it isn't so big in the UK. I told her that my mum's idea of a Hallowe'en costume was a white bedsheet over my head with two eye-holes cut into it and some string around my neck: a ghost!

She told me that she did the same for her daughter a few years ago, but it was so cold that her breath which was condensing on the sheet froze and stuck to her lips! Apparently the temperature was about 0oF that night (@-18oC). She asked me if that ever happened to me....

[cheeky_monkey]

strange how oct 1974 had a similar ending and was followed by the 2nd mildest december of the 20th century only being beaten by dec 1934!...pure coincidence?

[Weather-history]

From the Reverend Eric Robson of West Kirkby

"On November 1st 1934, West Kirkby, Cheshire, was visited by two early morning thunderstorms which were so severe that they literally shook the foundations of the houses. The first occurred an hour or two after midnight and the second at 6am , the latter doing serious damage. At 9am, there was a remarkable hailstorm, the stones coming down in one continuous shower for a whole hour. There was no wind. shortly after 11am snow began to fall and of this there was no abatement until 6pm, when the ground away from the seafront had become covered to a general depth in places of 4 inches and over higher ground the depth was estimated at 6 inches. The shade temperature at 9am was 40F, at 1pm 34F, at 3pm 33F and it did not rise above 33F until 7pm, when a westerly breeze set in. The day altogether was a most unusual experience and the snowfall almost unprecedented for so early in the year."

[Weather-history]

From Guardian of 31st October 1934

1st Nov 1934

2nd Nov 1934

[A Face like Thunder]

Brazell's book on London Weather has 31st Oct 1934 down as the coldest day of the month (unsurprising) with max temperature of 40.3F and a minimum of 29.3F. 

[Weather-history]

Newspaper photo montage of the Halloween of 1934