When severe cold leads to disaster......

[Weather-history]

In past cold spells, we often hear of the tragedy of people falling through ice and drowning thinking the ice could take their weight or rescuing pets that have fallen through on frozen lakes, canals etc, however such individual tragedies pale compare to what happened at the Regent's Park lake in January 1867.

January 1867 was a cold month with a CET of 1.2

The start of the January was intensely cold with the 4th an especially cold day but 3 days later it became very mild before turning very cold again on the 11th and this lasted to the 21st; the period 11th-21st January had a mean of -2.9

The very cold spell cause lakes, ponds etc to ice over and Regent's Park lake in London became a mecca for ice skaters.

On the 15th of January, many ice skaters took to the frozen lake but disaster struck when the ice cracked and scores of people fell through the broken ice. Over 40 people drowned in the disaster, in one of the worst winter related disasters to occurred in the UK.

Edited November 18, 2006 by Mr_Data

[Yozzer]

In past cold spells, we often hear of the tragedy of people falling through ice and drowning thinking the ice could take their weight or rescuing pets that have fallen through on frozen lakes, canals etc, however such individual tragedies pale compare to what happened at the Regent's Park lake in January 1867.

January 1867 was a cold month with a CET of 1.2

The start of the January was intensely cold with the 4th an especially cold day but 3 days later it became very mild before turning very cold again on the 11th and this lasted to the 21st; the period 11th-21st January had a mean of -2.9

The very cold spell cause lakes, ponds etc to ice over and Regent's Park lake in London became a mecca for ice skaters.

On the 15th of January, many ice skaters took to the frozen lake but disaster struck when the ice cracked and scores of people fell through the broken ice. Over 40 people drowned in the disaster, in one of the worst winter related disasters to occurred in the UK.

I seem to recall that there was a disaster in Lewes some time in the 19th century, with about 6 people killed in an 'avalanche' of snow when a cornice broke away and fell on to houses below.

[Dazza]

Blimey, didn't know about that MD, disaster indeed

[south_holland_uk]

how many people have to die before an event get 'disaster' status?

SHU

[Weather-history]

January 1867 was an interesting month with a huge temperature range. January 1867 had a CET of 1.2 and was sandwiched between two much milder months with December 1866 having a CET of 6.1 and February 1867 having a CET of 6.9

The 4th of January 1867 had a CET mean of -9.3C but on the 7th, the CET mean was 9.8C, a difference of 18.9C in just 3 days. The CET mean for the 27th was 10.1C

Here are some reports from this remarkable January.

2nd: Heavy snow in the Home Counties between 5 and 11am. Depth about 8 inches. Drifts of 20ft.

4th: R.Blackmore of Teddington: "Trees and bushes clad with the deepest rime I ever saw...the frost was so intense that the feet of my dogs becmae lumps of ice, which I was obliged to cut out with a pruning knife. The maximum of the day was 18F in the shade.

7th: Frost gone, a SW gale, temp above 50F in many places. Very heavy floods were reported from all parts of the country.

12th: The frost returned with very heavy snow.

Great Torrington: There was a heavy fall of snow in the afternoon and night of the 1st, the thaw came with the gale of the 7th.

West Hendon: Greatest average depth of snow, 11 inches from 16th to 19th.

Tongue: Snow on 18 days, 12 inches deep over the low ground.

Seathwaite: Bassenthwaite and Derwentwater frozen from end to end to afford splendid skating.

Orleton: Severe frost set in on the 1st and continued until the 5th. Snow on the night of the 5th followed by rapid thaw , much rain and great floods on the 7th. Frost set in again on the 11th and continued with great severity until the 22nd. On the night of the 22nd snow, changing to sleet and rain, fell and froze upon the snow. Warm stormy weather to the end of the month.

Aberdeen: Ground round Aberdeen white with snow on 24 days. On the morning of the 22nd about 27 and 30 inches was lying all round town, but it disappeared rapidly.

Temperature range for these stations.

Camden Square: 13.3C, -14.1C

Bury St Edmunds: 13.3C, -17.8C

Orleton: 13.6C, -16.9C

Manchester: 13C, -12.8C

Ayr: 13.9C, -13.9C

Calne: 12.8C, -16.9C

Some minima recorded during the month

Staines: -21.7C

Epsom: -24.4C

Wimbledon: -15C

Linton Park: -12.2C

Newport, Isle of Wight: -9.6C

Berkempstead: -22.2C

Wisbech: -10.9C

Truro: -13.3C

Cheltenham: -15C

Bridgnorth: -17.2C

Eccles: -12.8C

Dublin: -10C

[Albion Snowman]

20 ft drifts . Thats impressive! Its a shame some people think it safe to go on ice just becuase its frozen. You have no idea about the state of the ice until its too late.