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The winter of 1963 (also known as The Big Freeze of 1963) was one of the coldest winters on record in Great Britain. Temperatures plummeted and lakes and rivers began to freeze over. In the Central England Temperature (CET) record, extending back to 1659, only the winter (defined as the months of December, January and February) of 1683–4 has been significantly colder, with 1739–40 being slightly colder than 1962–3. However the winter did not rank so highly in Scotland for its severity as it did in England and Wales.
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December 1962
A very cold easterly set in just before Christmas, and parts of the south of England in particular had heavy snow late on 26 December continuing into the next day.
29–30 December 1962
On 29–30 December 1962, a blizzard swept across the southwest of England and Wales. Snow drifted to over 6 metres (20 feet) deep in places, blocking roads and railways. The snow stranded villagers and brought down power lines. The near freezing temperatures meant that the snow cover lasted for over two months in some areas.
January 1963
In January 1963 the country started to freeze solid with temperatures as low as −16C (3.2F) in places. Frozen fog was a hazard for most of the country.
In January 1963 the sea froze for 1 mile (1.6km) out from shore at Herne Bay. The upper reaches of the River Thames also froze over, though it did not freeze in central London, partly due to the hot effluent from two thermal power stations (Battersea and Bankside). (The removal of the old London Bridge, which obstructed the river's free flow, together with the river's embankment, make the river less likely to freeze in London than in earlier times. See River Thames frost fairs.) The ice was thick enough in some places that people were skating on it. Icicles hung from many roof gutterings. Some of these were as long as a metre. (3 feet, 3 Inches). This has not happened since.
February 1963
In February 1963 more snow came. It was also windy and winds reached Force 8 on the Beaufort scale (gale force winds).
A 36-hour blizzard caused heavy drifting snow in most parts of the country. Drifts reached six metres in some areas. Gale force winds howled with wind speeds reaching up to 81 mph (130 km/h). On the Isle of Man, wind speeds were recorded at 119 mph (191 km/h).
March 1963
The thaw set in in early March. 6 March was the first morning of the year without any frost anywhere in Britain. The temperatures soon soared to 17 degrees C (62.6 degrees F) and the remaining snow rapidly disappeared.
See also
References
- L.P. Smith, Seasonable Weather, George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1968, p133
- 1963: the coldest winter since 1740
- News reports which originally appeared in The Guardian