UK snow bomb: 14 worst snowstorms in British history in photos

By Matthew Mohan-Hickson

What's On Editor

3rd Mar 2023, 5:24pm

From the Big Freeze of 1963 to the Beast from the East - do you remember these UK snowstorms?

Snow is set to cause chaos in parts of the country over the coming days. Yellow weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office amid reports of a 'snow bomb' due to arrive.

Sub-zero temperatures and wintry conditions are due to arrive after a mild start to autumn. The Met Office has issued warnings for Tuesday, 28 November, Wednesday, 29 November and Thursday, 30 November.

But how could the coming snowy spell compare to previous wintry spells?

We have pulled together the 14 worst snowstorms since the 1890s. Two other famously cold winters came in 1683/84 and 1709 prior to the invention of photography.

Do you remember any of these big freezes, beasts from the easts, cold snaps and harsh winters? The storms are listed in chronological order.

The culmination of a decade of harsh winters, this spell of heavy snow and freezing temperatures is considered to be the end of the Little Ice age. The River Thames was frozen over during this period.

1. 1895 - winter of 1894-95

The culmination of a decade of harsh winters, this spell of heavy snow and freezing temperatures is considered to be the end of the Little Ice age. The River Thames was frozen over during this period. | Miss E. R. Taylor/Express/Getty Images

Thousands of people were cut off for days by snowdrifts as it caused major chaos in a country already struggling following the end of WW2. There was disruption of power for homes, animal herds froze to death and when the temperatures warmed it caused flooding.

2. 1947 - heavy snow of 1947

Thousands of people were cut off for days by snowdrifts as it caused major chaos in a country already struggling following the end of WW2. There was disruption of power for homes, animal herds froze to death and when the temperatures warmed it caused flooding. | Fox Photos/Getty Images

The Met Office calls this winter the coldest in 200 years. It saw blizzards begin just before December 1962 and carried through into 1963, with snow falling until March of that year. The long bitterly cold spell caused lakes and rivers to freeze, even sea water in some of England's harbours turned to ice.

3. 1963 - Big Freeze of 1963

The Met Office calls this winter the coldest in 200 years. It saw blizzards begin just before December 1962 and carried through into 1963, with snow falling until March of that year. The long bitterly cold spell caused lakes and rivers to freeze, even sea water in some of England's harbours turned to ice. | Terry Fincher & Michael Stroud/Express/Getty Images)

The winter of 1981 and 1982 saw significant cold spells, including the Big Snow of 1982. It began in 1981 and resulted in one of the coldest Decembers on record. Heavy snow was seen in January 1982.

4. 1982 - Big snow of 1982

The winter of 1981 and 1982 saw significant cold spells, including the Big Snow of 1982. It began in 1981 and resulted in one of the coldest Decembers on record. Heavy snow was seen in January 1982. | Duncan Raban/Allsport/Getty Images

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.