30th November 1788 -
earliest known case of a long unbroken frost began on this date,
lasting until early January 1789. Although the winter overall
didn't
stand out as regards severity, December, and to a lesser extent
January, were bitterly cold. The CET value for December 1788 was
-0.3degC, some 4.4C below the 'all-series' mean for that month,
and
for January 1789, the value of 1.5degC was nearly 2C below the
'all-series' mean. December 1788 in particular is comfortably in
the
'top-5' of coldest Decembers in the CET series. The Thames was
completely frozen during this severe winter (implying a
persistence
of sub-zero temperatures) and a frost fair was held on the river,
with the usual reports of sports / pastimes etc. "Deep snow"
is noted in contemporary reports, diaries etc. (In the London
area,
the 'hard frost' is noted as having lasted from the 25th November,
1788 to the 14th January, 1789.(LW)
The combination of the extreme
drought of 1788 (q.v.) & the bitter, frosty conditions, meant
that water was in very short supply in the winter of 1788/89; much
'profiteering' as small quantities of water were sold for high
prices.