The Times: The Great March Blizzard of 1891

[Weather-history]

Over the next few days, I will be posting Times news reports on the Great Blizzard of March 1891 which affected southern and especially south western parts, severely.

Here's the report from the 11th March 1891 edition of the Times

From the Times Editorial

[BARRY]

If that happened today it would be the same if not worse, we get 1 inch of Snow and the country grinds to a halt.

[Roger J Smith]

These are great posts, Mr Data, even if I have lost what remained of my eyesight trying to read the Times small print.

Had a look at the weather map posted on wetterzentrale for 10 and 11 March 1891, shows a rather ordinary looking Channel low (not that those are ordinary nowadays), so this strong wind must suggest either meso-scale features or a stronger central pressure not analyzed on the maps (the gradient wind only looks like 30-40 mph tops).

Here's another winter worth having a look at -- 1814, I have never heard any details but from the daily temps in January there must have been some serious snowfall that winter. Any newspaper accounts in existence?

[Megamoonflake]

These are great posts, Mr Data, even if I have lost what remained of my eyesight trying to read the Times small print.

Had a look at the weather map posted on wetterzentrale for 10 and 11 March 1891, shows a rather ordinary looking Channel low (not that those are ordinary nowadays), so this strong wind must suggest either meso-scale features or a stronger central pressure not analyzed on the maps (the gradient wind only looks like 30-40 mph tops).

Here's another winter worth having a look at -- 1814, I have never heard any details but from the daily temps in January there must have been some serious snowfall that winter. Any newspaper accounts in existence?

Roger, if you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, hold down the Ctrl button on the bottom left of your keyboard and scroll forwards and backwards to increase or decrease the text size; it's better than a magnifier!!

[Weather-history]

Here's from the 12th March 1891 edition of the Times

[Weather-history]

Here's from the 13th March 1891 edition of the Times. Cornwall and Devon are virtually isolated

[Thundery wintry showers]

Very interesting as usual; I recall reading that this blizzard came on the back of quite a mild sunny February as well, so it must have been a shock to the system!