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Is it true that in 1816, freezing... | Almanac.com

Is it true that in 1816, freezing...

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Is it true that in 1816, freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls destroyed crops in June, July, and August in much of the United States and Europe? If so, what caused them, and could it happen again?
Answer
It is true. The 1815 eruption of Tambora, a volcano in the Dutch East Indies, threw such a cloud of dust into the atmosphere that summer temperatures the following year fell dramatically in our latitude. In New England, every month had a frost, and crops were ruined. The same was true in eastern Canada. In Europe, widespread famine resulted. Could it happen again? Sure.