Charlene Cole
Sandy Creek/Lacona Historian
Historian's Corner
September 1a, 2016
We talk about the weather all the time as our area has fast changing weather and lately our 90 degree heat and humid weather is no exception. It brought to mind the weather during the summer of 1816. Imagine what our pioneer families thought.
In New England the summer of 1816 included some early June snow, cold nights in both July and August, for example the widespread frost at low level sites around New England on July 8-9 and the damaging frosts on August 22nd from interior New England south to North Carolina. There were droughts too and finally frosts in September, such as that of the 27th in New England. This all led to crop failures and food shortages and helped stimulate a move westward the following year. In both Connecticut and New York frosts after April are rare but in 1816 frosts were recorded every month of the year. Summer temperatures were below average and the most severe cold snap came in early June and killed the vegetable crops of New England, ruining some farmers. This and a couple of other cold snaps, each a few days long, made the summer of 1816 notorious and infamous.
Our own Oswego County can furnish a parallel to these winter wonders. Winter possessed the earth the whole year through. Snow fell in this region in May and on June 9th there was a heavy frost, so much as to kill fruit and crops. Provisions of all kinds commanded enormous prices; flour at one period in midsummer reached $16 a barrel. Families huddled in close quarters and many felt it a sign of the worlds end. |
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Charlene Cole
Sandy Creek/Lacona Historian
1992 Harwood Drive
Sandy Creek, NY 13145
315-387-5456 x7
office hours: Friday 9am to 2pm
www.sandycreeknyhistory.com |
