A Forgotten Blizzard: 18th November 1893

[Weather-history]

This snow event has largely been forgotten but this brought a remarkable blizzard across many parts of the UK as a low pressure tracked across the country and pulled down a very fierce Arctic NNEly.

Here are some reports on this remarkable but forgotten storm.

Addington: The 18th was a very wild day; snow began to fall about 11m and driven by a very high wind, formed great wreaths of 3ft, 4ft and 5ft deep on the south of all hedges running E and W.

Woolstaston: A wild blizzard raged on the 18th from noon to night with drving snow and sleet.

Orleton: A great gale occurred on the 18th and 19th, accompanied by snow, which drifted very much.

Aberdeen: Violent gale on 18th, winds about 90mph, great destruction to plantations and loss of life at sea.

Douglas: Terrific N and NNW gales with snow

Callander: Terrific gale, causing the greatest destruction since 1703, the area extended from the Forth to the Shetlands; damage estimated at 2 millions.

Coupar Angus: An unprecendented hurricane from the NE; laying down forests of wood like grain.

Kensington: Violent gale from NW with snow towards night.

Finchley: Snow yielding 0.27 inches of water; remaining on ground till 22nd

Haslemere: Northerly gale with heavy snow and deep drifts

Sheppey: NE gale

Emsworth: NW gale with snow for 12 hours; drifts 4 to 5 feet deep

Lyss: Blizzard with snow drifts

Kensworth: Gale with snow

Oxford: Gale with snow

Banbury: NE to NW gale and driving snow all day

Nothampton: A terrible evening with blinding snow and ice

Ely: Very rough with snow which drifted

Walthamstow: Severe N gale with perfect blizzard of snow in afternoon and evening. Deep drifts blocking roads in places.

Tavistock: Severe gale with snow

Hampnett Rectory: Blizzard in the afternoon

Cheltenham: A fearful storm with snow

Coventry: Heavy fall of snow, much drifted

Nottingham: The first snow of the season, deep drifts

Ketton Hall: Gale with snow after 4pm

Baldersby: Severe gale from the N with snow lsting 24 hours

Corwen: Heavy snowstorm and snow on following two days

Cheadle: Snow

Further Barton: NW gale with snow, a true blizzard on the 18th

Knutsford: Snow

Keswick: Violent north gale with snow, doing great damage

Rhiwbryfdir: Great storm of wind and snow

Bishops Cannings: N to NE gales with snow on the 18th and 19th

Leicester: Snow nearly 4ft deep not far from here

It was one hell of an event!

The snow and the cold lasted until about the 20th in the south when high pressure built in from the west cutting off the NEly flow.

Edited November 18, 2008 by Mr_Data