Experts now believe the UK is headed for its biggest economic slump since 1709, when the country was hit by a deep freeze that spread across Europe. The ‘Great Frost’, as it came to be known, lasted for three months and sparked food shortages, thousands of deaths in France, and a huge deficit to the economy.

18th century

This was a major catastrophe for a largely agricultural economy. The crops were ruined, grain prices soared sixfold and many communities were faced with starvation. Per capita gross domestic product dropped by 23%, and did not fully recover for another 10 years, all from a single terrible winter.

When the strain of war becomes too much for an economy to bare, the shrinking of a countries financial system can be devastating. In 1706, a crucial battle took place between England and France during the War of the Spanish Succession. Despite the victory, war with France cost England a 15% decrease in national output.

The severe cold occurred during the time of low sunspot activity known as the Maunder Minimum.

The year 1709 had already started badly. French peasants had been hit by poor harvests, taxes, and conscription for the War of the Spanish Succession. The cold snaps of late 1708 were as nothing to the crash in temperatures that took place over the night of January 5 to 6.

A dark winter In the early 18th century, the scientific tracking of temperature was still crude. Derham observed a record low temperature Jan. 5, 1709, of minus-12 degrees Celsius (around 10 degrees Fahrenheit), which was unusual for the region.

From the late Middle Ages until this time, the Thames regularly froze over during the winter. There are two reasons for this, one climactic and one topographical. The 14th to 18th Centuries are known as the Little Ice Age, when winters tended to be much more severe than subsequently.

The world is also getting warmer due to climate change. Average temperatures in winter 2100 are predicted to be 3.4C warmer than winters in 1900. Both of this factors mean the Thames never really gets cold enough to freeze.

Most statistics cite the winter of 1978-79 as the coldest in U.S. history….How’s this for cold:

• Duluth, Minn., had the coldest winter in anyone’s lifetime.
• Minneapolis finished with an average temperature of 9.7°F this winter, its ninth coldest ever and coldest since 1978-79.

1936 North American cold wave

• The 1936 North American cold wave ranks among the most intense cold waves in the recorded history of North America.
• February 1936 was the coldest February on record in the contiguous U.S., narrowly eclipsing February 1899.

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