Great Frost of 1709 facts for kids
1708/1709 winter temperature anomaly with respect to 1971–2000 climatology
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| Also known as | Le Grand Hiver |
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The Great Frost, known in England, or Le Grand Hiver ("The Great Winter") in France, was an incredibly cold winter. It hit Europe in 1708 and 1709. This was the coldest European winter in 500 years.
How Cold Was It?
William Derham was a scientist who recorded weather. He lived in Upminster, near London, in Great Britain. On January 5, 1709, he measured a temperature of −12 °C (10 °F). This was the lowest temperature he had ever recorded since 1697.
Other weather observers across Europe also measured very low temperatures. Some recorded lows down to −15 °C (5 °F). Derham wrote that he believed this frost was bigger and more widespread than any other in living memory.
Impact on Wars
The severe winter greatly affected the Great Northern War. This was a big war where Sweden invaded Russia. Thousands of Swedish soldiers died from sudden winter storms and extreme cold. One night, at least 2,000 soldiers died away from their camp.
Russian troops were better prepared for the harsh weather. They stayed safely in their camps. Their losses were much lower. This helped Russia win the Battle of Poltava the next summer.
Life During the Frost
France suffered greatly during this winter. A terrible famine followed the cold. It is thought that about 600,000 people died by the end of 1710. This happened during the War of the Spanish Succession. Some people at the time claimed no one died from hunger in France.
The extreme cold also caused many German Palatines to leave central Europe. They moved to other places to escape the harsh conditions.
Elizabeth Charlotte, the Duchess of Orléans, wrote a letter about the cold. She said she was still shivering even with a roaring fire nearby. Her door was shut, and she was wrapped in furs. She wrote, "Never in my life have I seen a winter such as this one."
Why Do Scientists Care?
Today, scientists are very interested in this winter event. They are studying it as part of the European Union's Millennium Project. Scientists cannot explain why it was so cold using today's weather patterns.
Dennis Wheeler, a climatologist (a scientist who studies climate), said, "Something unusual seems to have been happening." They are still trying to figure out what caused such an extreme winter.
