Volcanic winter of 536

Quick Facts: Who was Volcanic winter of 536?

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Volcanic winter of 536

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Severe climatic cooling in the Northern Hemisphere caused by massive volcanic eruptions.

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Origins & Early Life

The volcanic winter of 536 was among the most severe and protracted episodes of climatic cooling in the Northern Hemisphere in the last two thousand years. The volcanic winter was caused by at least three eruptions of uncertain origin, with several possible locations proposed in various continents. In early AD 536 (or possibly late 535), an eruption ejected great amounts of sulfate aerosols into the atmosphere, reducing the solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface and cooling the atmosphere for several years. In March 536, Constantinople began experiencing darkened skies and lower temperatures. Summer temperatures in 536 fell by as much as 2.5 °C (4.5 °F) below European normal.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The lingering effect of the volcanic winter of 536 was augmented in the years 539 and 540, when another volcanic eruption caused summer temperatures to decline as much as 2.7 °C (4.9 °F) below European normal. There is evidence of still another volcanic eruption in 547 that would have extended the cool period. The volcanic eruptions caused crop failures, and were accompanied by the Plague of Justinian, famine, and millions of deaths and initiated the Late Antique Little Ice Age, which lasted from 536 to 660. Historian Michael McCormick has called the year 536 "the beginning of one of the worst periods to be alive, if not the worst year." The Roman historian Procopius recorded in his AD 536 report on the wars with the Vandals: "during this year a most dread portent took place. and it seemed exceedingly like the sun in eclipse, for the beams it shed were not clear".

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 538, the Roman statesman Cassiodorus described the following to one of his subordinates in letter 25: The sun's rays were weak, and they appeared a "bluish" colour. At noon, no shadows from people were visible on the ground. The heat from the sun was feeble. The moon, even when full, was "empty of splendour" "A winter without storms, a spring without mildness, and a summer without heat" Prolonged frost and unseasonable drought The seasons "seem to be all jumbled up together" The sky is described as "blended with alien elements" just like cloudy weather, except prolonged. It was "stretched like a hide across the sky" and prevented the "true colours" of the sun and moon from being seen, along with the sun's warmth.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Volcanic winter of 536

True or False: “Did the volcanic winter of 536 primarily result from a single, massive eruption event?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Scientific analysis suggests at least three synchronous eruptive events in North America contributed to the observed global dimming and cooling.

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