Worst two winters of the 20th century

Terry & June?

47 63

Mike and Bernie...

Petraco

JK ROWLING and JEFFREY ARCHER are major contenders.

1940 was epic too. But weather information was classified owing to the War, so it got overshadowed by 1947 and 1963.

January 1940 will always be remembered for the snowstorm and icestorm that struck the UK.
SNOWSTORM
On the 26th, two occlusions moving up from the SW engaged the cold air over the UK. At the same time, the anticyclone over Scandinavia was intensifying, blocking the fronts from pushing through the UK. They became stationary over Wales and SW England. This resulted in a great snowstorm across many northern and eastern areas.
Vast areas of northern England reported between 30-60cm of level snow, the higher parts in excess of 60cm+. The snow drifted in the strong SEly wind even in the centre of London. Other reports of snow depths include Eastbourne:- 25cm, Pontefract:- 37cm, Malvern:- 60cm and Exmoor:- drifts of 2.5m. The snowfall lasted to the 29th of January
ICESTORM
On the low ground in the south, the precipitation fell as freezing rain. The raindrops were of the supercooled nature, so when the rain hit the surface it would freeze instantly. This is a rare event in the UK and the 1940 is reckoned to be the severest that has struck the UK in recorded history.
The duration of the storm was remarkable lasting up to 48 hours in places. For instance at Cirencester, 48hrs of freezing rain fell in temperatures of between -2 and -4C. The effect of this prolonged icestorm was severe and damaging. Many telegraph poles and wires were snapped, unable to cope with the weight of the ice. Flora and fauna suffered as well, many tree branches were snapped off by the enormous weight of ice, birds were unable to fly because ice accumulated on their wings. Travel was next to impossible as roads and pavements became skating rinks. Any sloped surface was impossible to climb.

I spent the winter of 1981/2 working in W Germany, and I never thought I would experience that depth of cold and snow ever again, but then December 2010 happened, so who knows?

63 was bad, though  was very small child (ish) and oop north

I do remember that one in 77/78, or maybe 78/79, anyway-  that was bad, had to dig my car out of snow, it was buried for days - and that was in Somerset.

Yes 1978/9 was exceptional. Although not as severe as 1947 or 1963, the cold went on and on, from the end of November right into March. Very wet too. Non-stop public sector strikes and the birth of all those great Northern bands - Joy Division, the Bunnymen etc.

The Winter of Discontent.

I agree with TheBaron

My dad opened a betting shop about a month before the winter of 63 set in, at least 10 weeks without racing, it finished off the business basically before it started.

No FOBTs for the numpties to lose their dole money on in those days.

63  79  at a guess

depends on where in the UK too  .

Southern England is nearer to Spain than it is to say ,Inverness

1963 looks ridiculously cold  -  a Scandinavian type winter  .

even 1979 looks mental compared with/by recent standards . 

86 i remember icicles hanging down from buidings.


and now .......  no snow for 4 long years 

My Uncle used to tell me that in '63 ,he had to abandon his works van up on the Saddleworth moors.
When going back for it after they cleared the roads , he wouldn't have had a clue , but someone who lived up there put a broom in the snow to show where it was buried.

Icicles still possible. Christmas morning 2010, right down in Somerset, just 100 metres above sea level:



I don't think people generally appreciate just how extraordinary December 2010 was, and how fortunate you were to experience it if you were a winter-lover in the UK.

My mother was always on about 1947. I remember 1963 and that was bad. There was a VERY cold snap in December 1981. 2010/11,particularly as has been said,the first half has been the worst this millenium.

69/70 was most snow i can remember up here

but dad assures me 63 was far worse

my mum always said 63 but fortunately in those days when having your first baby you stayed in hospital for 10 days, and was brought home in an ambulance. Last New Year it was -20 in Vermont with 6ft of snow so just your average winter really.

1963 had a few inches of ice extending out from the rocks in the sea at Blackrock, Dublin.
I haven't seen that in any other winter.

think 3rd round of the cup took until mid march to complete in 1963

In places the snow from Boxing Day was still under the hedgerows in early March. The road from Wycombe to Lane End was shut for weeks. I was told recently that it was six weeks, hard to believe now.

Growing up in the 60's I remember that everyone had a sledge and got to use it every year.

I remember the '63 winter very well. I was a paperboy right through the worst of it. I started on Jan 1st and finished on Easter Monday.
Snow drifts everywhere, parked cars never moved for weeks looking like igloos, difficult to get around anywhere.
Haven't seen a winter like that since.

And then came the thaw... floods all over the country.

2010 was brutal ,snowed in ,in some places  ..

4 months to do one round? Christ must of been bad!

posh area terry, all those Times and Telegraphs... weighed a ton they did!

full marks for all your efforts though

2000 or 2001 was deep snow