The winter of 1962–1963, known as the Big Freeze of 1963, was one of the coldest winters (defined as the months of December, January and February) on record in the United Kingdom. Temperatures plummeted and lakes and rivers began to freeze over.
The freeze began just before Christmas in 1962 and persisted until early March 1963. March 6 was the first day of the year without frost across Britain. It was the coldest winter in England and Wales since 1740, with temperatures plummeting as low as -22.2°C (-8°F) in Braemar, Scotland.
Blizzards created massive snowdrifts, reaching up to 20 feet (6 meters) in some areas, burying roads, railways, and even entire houses. Rivers like the Thames and the Medway froze solid. In Kent, the sea froze for up to a mile from the shore, an extremely rare occurrence.
Roads and railways became impassable, leading to severe shortages of coal and food. Milk bottles froze on doorsteps, and deliveries were often made by helicopter or improvised sledges. Most homes at the time lacked central heating, leaving families to huddle around single coal fires. Water mains froze, forcing people to collect water from tankers or standpipes. Thousands of livestock starved or froze to death as farmers were unable to reach them. It is estimated that half of Britain’s wild bird population perished during the freeze.
The winter is remembered for the community spirit it fostered, with neighbors helping one another to clear snow and share resources. It remains a benchmark for extreme weather in the UK, used to compare subsequent cold spells such as those in 1947, 1982, and 2010.
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