Winter of 1990–1991 in Western Europe
Encyclopedia
The winter of 1990–1991 was a particularly cold winter in Western Europe
, noted especially for its effect on the United Kingdom
, and for two significantly heavy falls of snow
which occurred in December 1990 and February 1991. Sandwiched in between was a period of high winds and heavy rain which caused widespread damage. The winter was the coldest since January 1987
, and the snowfall experienced in many parts of the United Kingdom would not be seen again until the snowfall of February 2009
.
In the United Kingdom snow began to fall over the Midlands
, Wales
and the Pennines
on the night of 7-8 December 1990 and continued for much of the following day. The rate of snowfall was quite heavy, around 6 centimetres (2.4 in) an hour, and as a result many areas were covered within half an hour of the snow starting to fall. Coupled with this were high winds which reached gale force in many areas leading to blizzard conditions. Many parts of the Midlands reported at least 20 centimetres (7.9 in) of snow while depths reached 60 centimetres (23.6 in) in the Derby
area. On the Welsh Mountains there were drifts of up to 4 metres (13.1 ft). Snow fell in Western Europe the following day, 9 December.
Transport was severely disrupted with many people trapped in their cars and all rail services in the Midlands cancelled, while elsewhere in western Europe, roads and airports were closed. In northern Spain traffic officials were forced to shut mountain passes due to heavy snow while rail services in Tessin
, southern Switzerland
were also severely disrupted. The state's Lugano Airport
was also closed. In France the main highway between Lyons
and Grenoble
was blocked and traffic had to be rerouted, while the Mont Blanc tunnel
linking France and Italy through the Alps was also inaccessible. Many roads in parts of Austria's East Tyrol
and western Carinthia
were closed due to avalanche fears. Snow also fell in Italy where Turin
saw its first pre-Christmas snow since 1964. At the same time much of southern Europe experienced high winds and heavy rain, with ferry services suspended in Venice
following floods.
The harsh weather conditions brought down power lines across England leading to loss of electricity for many areas. Power was also disrupted in parts of France. In the UK some 650,000 people were without power, and about 1.2 million without water supplies for several days. The Army
was called in to help restore utility supplies to outlying areas. In addition, the adverse weather conditions had a negative economic impact with takings at stores on what was the third Saturday before Christmas
considerably lower than normal.
The severe weather led to the deaths of ten people in the United Kingdom. Three were killed in road accidents in Northern Ireland
which was hit by gale force winds. In Austria a 21 car pile up was caused by ice on the Inntal highway injuring several people.
Most of the snow had gone within four days, but its effects were felt for several days afterward. Much of the rest of December was unsettled, and the United Kingdom was hit by heavy storms over the Christmas and New Year period. High winds and heavy rain on Christmas Day caused disruption and power cuts for some parts of the United Kingdom, while the UK and Ireland experienced severe gales on 5 and 6 January. Gusts of up to 70 mph brought down trees and power lines leaving thousands of homes blacked out across Ireland and the southwest of England, resulting in the deaths of 30 people. The dead included 11 crew members who were lost off two merchant vessels, a couple out walking on the beach near Brighton
and 13 people who died in Ireland as a result of falling trees and other accidents. Seven of the Irish deaths occurred when a tree crashed onto a minibus.
experienced its heaviest snowfall for five years leading to traffic chaos - many drivers were stranded on the coastal road between Nice
and Antibes
, while elsewhere two people were killed after becoming exposed to the cold weather, and horse racing at the Mediterranean
resort of Cagnes-sur-Mer
was cancelled due to snowfall. The southern Soviet Union
which usually experienced fairly mild winters saw temperatures fall to -10C, while Spitsbergen
in Norway enjoyed unseasonably mild weather.
In the United Kingdom the snow was brought in by a cold easterly wind. At first it was mostly concentrated in the eastern counties of England, although it quickly spread inland. By the evening of 6 February many parts of England and Wales were experiencing snow showers, and by the following morning many areas woke to a covering of powdery snow. Along with this came a severe frost coupled with sub-zero temperatures, and heavy snowfalls which continued to fall throughout the day. Temperatures were as low as -11.7 C and did not exceed -5 C in many areas. Snow depths were in excess of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) across England and drifted in the easterly wind. On higher ground levels reache 30 centimetres (11.8 in). Villages on Exmoor
were cut off by drifts approaching 2 metres (6.6 ft).
Once again the snow brought travel chaos to much of the country, particularly to the railways, with British Rail
making its now infamous excuse that severe delays to services were being caused by the wrong type of snow. Heathrow Airport was forced to cancel flights, while Birmingham and Gatwick were closed. Cars were abandoned as roads and motorways became impassable, and canals, ponds and even part of the Bristol Channel
froze over.
By 8 February conditions had deteriorated further, with depths of snow approaching 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in many areas. London
recorded 20 centimetres (7.9 in), with parts of Yorkshire
recording 51 centimetres (20.1 in). Bingley
in West Yorkshire
had 47 centimetres (18.5 in) and Pencelli in Powys
35 centimetres (13.8 in). After temperatures dropped to -10 C on the night of 8-9 February, conditions eased slightly the following day and continued to do so on 10 February. However, night-time temperatures remained low, and there was a fresh snowfall on 12 February. After this high pressure began to move across the UK and despite further night time frosts a slow thaw began. On 20 February an Atlantic system finally arrived bringing mild south westerly winds and rain which escalated the thaw and allowed temperatures to return to double figures.
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, noted especially for its effect on the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and for two significantly heavy falls of snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
which occurred in December 1990 and February 1991. Sandwiched in between was a period of high winds and heavy rain which caused widespread damage. The winter was the coldest since January 1987
January 1987 Southeast England snowfall
The January 1987 snowfall was a very heavy lake-effect type snow event that affected the areas of East Anglia, South-East England and London between the 11th and 14th of January and was the heaviest snowfall to fall in that part of the United Kingdom since the winter of 1981/82...
, and the snowfall experienced in many parts of the United Kingdom would not be seen again until the snowfall of February 2009
February 2009 Great Britain and Ireland snowfall
The snowfall across the British Isles in February 2009 was a prolonged period of snowfall that began on 1 February 2009. Some areas experienced their largest snowfall levels in 18 years. Snow fell over much of Western Europe. The United Kingdom's Met Office and Ireland's Met Éireann issued severe...
.
December 1990
The snowfall of early December 1990 was particularly disruptive to large parts of the United Kingdom, although heavy snow was also reported across much of Western Europe.In the United Kingdom snow began to fall over the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
on the night of 7-8 December 1990 and continued for much of the following day. The rate of snowfall was quite heavy, around 6 centimetres (2.4 in) an hour, and as a result many areas were covered within half an hour of the snow starting to fall. Coupled with this were high winds which reached gale force in many areas leading to blizzard conditions. Many parts of the Midlands reported at least 20 centimetres (7.9 in) of snow while depths reached 60 centimetres (23.6 in) in the Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
area. On the Welsh Mountains there were drifts of up to 4 metres (13.1 ft). Snow fell in Western Europe the following day, 9 December.
Transport was severely disrupted with many people trapped in their cars and all rail services in the Midlands cancelled, while elsewhere in western Europe, roads and airports were closed. In northern Spain traffic officials were forced to shut mountain passes due to heavy snow while rail services in Tessin
Tessin
-People:* Carl Gustaf Tessin* Nicodemus Tessin the Elder* Nicodemus Tessin the Younger-Switzerland:* Ticino, a canton...
, southern Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
were also severely disrupted. The state's Lugano Airport
Lugano Airport
Lugano Airport is a regional airport located west of Lugano, Switzerland. It lies closer to the nearby village of Agno than to Lugano itself, and so is usually known as Lugano-Agno....
was also closed. In France the main highway between Lyons
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
was blocked and traffic had to be rerouted, while the Mont Blanc tunnel
Mont Blanc Tunnel
The Mont Blanc Tunnel is a road tunnel in the Alps under the Mont Blanc mountain, linking Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France , and Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy . It is one of the major trans-Alpine transport routes, particularly for Italy, which relies on the tunnel for transporting as much as...
linking France and Italy through the Alps was also inaccessible. Many roads in parts of Austria's East Tyrol
East Tyrol
East Tyrol, or East Tirol , is an exclave of the Austrian state of Tyrol, sharing no border with the main North Tyrol part of the state. It corresponds with the administrative district of Lienz....
and western Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
were closed due to avalanche fears. Snow also fell in Italy where Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
saw its first pre-Christmas snow since 1964. At the same time much of southern Europe experienced high winds and heavy rain, with ferry services suspended in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
following floods.
The harsh weather conditions brought down power lines across England leading to loss of electricity for many areas. Power was also disrupted in parts of France. In the UK some 650,000 people were without power, and about 1.2 million without water supplies for several days. The Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
was called in to help restore utility supplies to outlying areas. In addition, the adverse weather conditions had a negative economic impact with takings at stores on what was the third Saturday before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
considerably lower than normal.
The severe weather led to the deaths of ten people in the United Kingdom. Three were killed in road accidents in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
which was hit by gale force winds. In Austria a 21 car pile up was caused by ice on the Inntal highway injuring several people.
Most of the snow had gone within four days, but its effects were felt for several days afterward. Much of the rest of December was unsettled, and the United Kingdom was hit by heavy storms over the Christmas and New Year period. High winds and heavy rain on Christmas Day caused disruption and power cuts for some parts of the United Kingdom, while the UK and Ireland experienced severe gales on 5 and 6 January. Gusts of up to 70 mph brought down trees and power lines leaving thousands of homes blacked out across Ireland and the southwest of England, resulting in the deaths of 30 people. The dead included 11 crew members who were lost off two merchant vessels, a couple out walking on the beach near Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and 13 people who died in Ireland as a result of falling trees and other accidents. Seven of the Irish deaths occurred when a tree crashed onto a minibus.
February 1991
The second snow event of the winter occurred in early February 1991 and brought the coldest weather since January 1987. Unlike the previous storm it hit much of Europe, freezing rivers and lakes, and even the canals of Venice which froze over for the first time since 1985. In France the French RivieraFrench Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
experienced its heaviest snowfall for five years leading to traffic chaos - many drivers were stranded on the coastal road between Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
and Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
, while elsewhere two people were killed after becoming exposed to the cold weather, and horse racing at the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
resort of Cagnes-sur-Mer
Cagnes-sur-Mer
Cagnes-sur-Mer is a commune of the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:It is the largest suburb of the city of Nice and lies to the west-southwest of it, about from the center.-History:...
was cancelled due to snowfall. The southern Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
which usually experienced fairly mild winters saw temperatures fall to -10C, while Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Constituting the western-most bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea...
in Norway enjoyed unseasonably mild weather.
In the United Kingdom the snow was brought in by a cold easterly wind. At first it was mostly concentrated in the eastern counties of England, although it quickly spread inland. By the evening of 6 February many parts of England and Wales were experiencing snow showers, and by the following morning many areas woke to a covering of powdery snow. Along with this came a severe frost coupled with sub-zero temperatures, and heavy snowfalls which continued to fall throughout the day. Temperatures were as low as -11.7 C and did not exceed -5 C in many areas. Snow depths were in excess of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) across England and drifted in the easterly wind. On higher ground levels reache 30 centimetres (11.8 in). Villages on Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
were cut off by drifts approaching 2 metres (6.6 ft).
Once again the snow brought travel chaos to much of the country, particularly to the railways, with British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
making its now infamous excuse that severe delays to services were being caused by the wrong type of snow. Heathrow Airport was forced to cancel flights, while Birmingham and Gatwick were closed. Cars were abandoned as roads and motorways became impassable, and canals, ponds and even part of the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
froze over.
By 8 February conditions had deteriorated further, with depths of snow approaching 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in many areas. London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
recorded 20 centimetres (7.9 in), with parts of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
recording 51 centimetres (20.1 in). Bingley
Bingley
Bingley is a market town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
had 47 centimetres (18.5 in) and Pencelli in Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
35 centimetres (13.8 in). After temperatures dropped to -10 C on the night of 8-9 February, conditions eased slightly the following day and continued to do so on 10 February. However, night-time temperatures remained low, and there was a fresh snowfall on 12 February. After this high pressure began to move across the UK and despite further night time frosts a slow thaw began. On 20 February an Atlantic system finally arrived bringing mild south westerly winds and rain which escalated the thaw and allowed temperatures to return to double figures.
See also
- Winter of 1946–1947 in the United Kingdom
- Winter of 1962–1963 in the United Kingdom
- February 2009 Great Britain and Ireland snowfallFebruary 2009 Great Britain and Ireland snowfallThe snowfall across the British Isles in February 2009 was a prolonged period of snowfall that began on 1 February 2009. Some areas experienced their largest snowfall levels in 18 years. Snow fell over much of Western Europe. The United Kingdom's Met Office and Ireland's Met Éireann issued severe...
- European winter storms of 2009–10
- Winter storms of 2009–2010