The 1930s greatest weather event....

[Weather-history]

In terms of weather impact and the scale of it, the Great Blizzard of February 1933 was the greatest weather event of the 1930s that struck the British Isles and for Ireland, it was probably close to being the greatest weather event of the 20th century.

On the 23rd of February 1933, a low pressure developed and pushed north-northeastwards against a block of high pressure to the north of the UK. The weather had been wintry with snowfalls before the storm and with the developing storm engaging the colder air, there were heavy snowfalls and with a tightening pressure gradient, blizzards

Over the next 2 days, the area of snow and blizzards slowly pushed northwards, allowing a thaw to set in the far south with flooding but further north, the blizzard raged on with depths of level snow of nearly 2ft and huge drifts. Many communities in northern England, the Midlands, Wales and southern Scotland were isolated but conditions over Ireland were truely appalling such that Ireland was virtually cut off from the outside world with all forms of transports and communications, with the exception of radio, crippled.

Milder weather finally pushed northwards by the 27th but then the great thaw set in with flooding and further chaos.

24th February 1933 edition of the Times: the storm begins....

The full force of the blizzard hits the UK and Ireland

25th February 1933 edition of the Times.

[Coast]

Hawes Station, Wensleydale, February 1933

Source: www.thedales.org.uk

Bacup and Stackstead in East Lancashire, February 1933

Source: www.bacuptimes.co.uk

Blizzard that ruined Shaymen's big cup day

It can be said that the weather became part of the legend of one of Halifax Town's biggest ever matches.

Town had reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time. On Saturday, February 18, 1933, 29,235 spectators crammed in to the Shay to see Third Division North Town play Luton Town of the Third Division South.

Town's team was as follows: Shirlaw, Flack, Barrie, Thompson, Craig, Parkin, Davies, Brown, Chambers, Wellock, Tunstall.

Town's captain, Oliver Thompson, won the toss and elected to play against the wind. At first this appeared advantageous when Fred Tunstall scored but the goal was ruled out for offside.

A blizzard then blew into Town's faces and Luton took the lead before the referee halted the game. Twenty five minutes later the game restarted on two inches of snow. In the second half Luton didn't have the blizzard to contend with as Town had done and doubled their advantage. There were no further goals and Town's momentous cup run was over.

Source: Halifax Evening Courier

[Weather-history]

The thaw and mopping up begins

[Optimus Prime]

Despite all that it was a pretty average month overall

Min 1.3c

Max 7.4c

Mean 4.4c.

[Lettucing Gutted]

Despite all that it was a pretty average month overall

Min 1.3c

Max 7.4c

Mean 4.4c.

Yeah. It was a quirk that the greatest blizzard of the decade should occur in a mild winter month.About 0.6C above the 1961-1990 CET average for February.

[Weather-history]

Weather forecast broadcasted by the BBC at 6pm on the 23rd February 1933

"Weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow- A complex low pressure system is developing over the British Isles and the North Sea and the most important centre is moving slowly southward over Ireland and deepening considerably. Snow is expected in many parts of the country and road traffic is likely to be affected in several districts. In Ireland, Wales and southwest England, there will be heavy snowfall inland tonight but there will be sleet or rain near the southwest seaboard. In Scotland and northern england there will be occasional snow especially near the east coast. In southeast England and the Midlands weather will be fine at first with sharp frost and local fog, but there is a considerable likelihood of snow tomorrow.

Outlook for Saturday: Wintry weather continuing, with snow at tmes in many districts."

 

Some data

A gust of 85mph was recorded at Calshot on the 24th February 

 

Rainfall/melted snow totals from 24th to 26th Feb

Selbourne: 4.74 inches

Petersfield: 4.35 inches

Hoddington:  3.38 inches

 

28 inches of snow at Harrogate 

24 inches on average of snow at Buxton

7 inches of snow at Ross-on-Wye

8 inches of snow at Cranwell

 

Guardian reports 

24th February

Weather report   Snow    

 

 

25th February

Weather report        Blizzard 

 

Impact on Manchester      Cheshire        State of roads        Wales 

Photos 

Kent      Manchester     

Rail chaos     Motoring across fields   

 

26th February 

Weather report       Blizzard            

 

27th February 

Weather report     Floods     Snow   

State of roads      Photos     Shipping   

 

28th February

Weather report      Photo   

Flood/snow   

 

1st March 

Floods     Photo     Train lost for 4 days found   

 

 

[Weather-history]

 

[Weather-history]

Here's a synoptic chart I have of the storm

[iand61]

I remember seeing a couple of photographs of local conditions from this storm including one of a tram almost completely buried by drifts and snow piled up above windows.

Given the economic issues, it must have made what was already a tough period of time even harder.

 

[A Face like Thunder]

That's some synoptic chart and low pressure area.  Imagine the effect on Netweather if that was forecast for the week ahead! Philip Eden suggests that it was less disruptive than the Boxing Day blizzard of 1927 but more extreme in Wales, the Midlands and Northern England, with level snow 70cm deep at Buxton and 76cm at Huddersfield. I am trying to imagine the effects on the M62 of similar snow levels now! 

[hillbilly]

Just a week before the big blizzard in February 1933 my hometown Halifax  welcomed Luton to 'The Shay' in the FA cup,a whiteout started the game but 29,000 turned up nevertheless.

Edited November 21, 2021 by hillbilly

[hillbilly]

Halifax v Luton at 'The Shay' ,FA cup February 1933

Edited November 21, 2021 by hillbilly

[iand61]

On 21/11/2021 at 15:31, hillbilly said:

Just a week before the big blizzard in February 1933 my hometown Halifax  welcomed Luton to 'The Shay' in the FA cup,a whiteout started the game but 29,000 turned up nevertheless.

I’ve seen that picture before and always wondered where it was taken although for some reason thought Huddersfield.

Standing up at the football in the middle of a blizzard, them where the days

[cheeky_monkey]

3 hours ago, iand61 said:

I’ve seen that picture before and always wondered where it was taken although for some reason thought Huddersfield.

Standing up at the football in the middle of a blizzard, them where the days

Just for the record Halifax lost 2-0 that's why it looks like a lot of punters at the back are already heading home

[hillbilly]

20 minutes ago, cheeky_monkey said:

Just for the record Halifax lost 2-0 that's why it looks like a lot of punters at the back are already heading home

I believe the snow came just before kickoff so maybe they were looking for some shelter,however for a lowly 4th division side 29,000 isnt a bad turnout in such weather and the 'Shay' ground only holds 10,000 today.The 'Shay' ground has also seen off the likes of Manchester City in the FA cup,a 1-0 win in 1980 and also a 2-1 win over Manchester United in the Watney cup ,1971 including the likes of Law,Charlton and George Best!

[cheeky_monkey]

1 minute ago, hillbilly said:

I believe the snow came just before kickoff so maybe they were looking for some shelter,however for a lowly 4th division side 29,000 isnt a bad turnout in such weather and the 'Shay' ground only holds 10,000 today.The 'Shay' ground has also seen off the likes of Manchester City in the FA cup,a 1-0 win in 1980 and also a 2-1 win over Manchester United in the Watney cup ,1971 including the likes of Law,Charlton and George Best!

there wasn't a 4th Division back then...Div 3 north ..my Dad was born in 1933

[Weather-history]

On 21/11/2021 at 15:31, hillbilly said:

Just a week before the big blizzard in February 1933 my hometown Halifax  welcomed Luton to 'The Shay' in the FA cup,a whiteout started the game but 29,000 turned up nevertheless.

Play was stopped for 25 minutes because of the snow

[trickydicky]

On 22/11/2021 at 17:14, iand61 said:

I’ve seen that picture before and always wondered where it was taken although for some reason thought Huddersfield.

Standing up at the football in the middle of a blizzard, them where the days

Not just standing up. Standing up wearing shorts as the lad on the right of the two in front is. He doesn’t look like he’s enjoying it either. 

[Weather-history]

I wonder what today's media would have made of this? It really was a significant weather event

 

[Nigerian Prince]

Of course if that weather event happened today it will blamed on climate change, as with every extreme weather event nowadays! As always.

Gender Male

Location Battersea London.

[TonyH]

Lampeter High St near here

 

[Metwatch]

Best convective event of the 1930s would be the 22 September 1935 hailstorm / The Great Northamptonshire Hailstorm. A segment from the climatology of severe hail in the UK paper:

"This is the only British hailstorm with a recorded track extending for over 300 km. Even this underestimates the track, as the storm came ashore from the Bristol Channel into Gwent, and later moved out over the North Sea from Norfolk. The most intense phase of the storm crossed Northamptonshire and northwest Cambridgeshire, with hailstones up to at least 70 mm diameter. There was extensive damage to glass, tiled and thatched roofs, aerials, and telegraph wires, some hailstones had also still not melted at 7 am the next morning."

 

In terms of months as a whole, summer 1933 and July 1934 would be my pick of this decade for the warmth and dryness.

Edited March 14 by Metwatch