Unusual Weather Volatility and Winter Caprices in 1836
A report on the extreme weather fluctuations of the winter of 1836, marked by storms, heavy snowfall, and sudden thaws across South Tyrol and the Inn Valley. Rapid shifts in barometric pressure and temperature are noted, humorously attributed to the planetary rule of Venus for the year.
Full transcription
Reports arrive from all regions of the extraordinary volatility of the weather this year. Extraordinary storms rage, immense masses of snow fall, and suddenly thaw sets in for a short time. Such are likewise the reports from South Tyrol, and in our Inn Valley it has so far been no different. Since New Year's Day, it was not unusual to see the barometer drop in a few hours from its highest reading to its lowest, and vice versa; likewise, the thermometer often showed a difference of 15 to 18 degrees in twelve hours. Let us not marvel, however, at this capricious change in the weather, for in the year 1836 the world is ruled by — a lady — Venus!
1836 at a glance
The year 1836 in and around Merano was marked by extreme weather fluctuations in February, featuring storms, heavy snowfall, and rapid shifts in temperature and barometric pressure. Additionally, a bear attack in the Glurns judicial district in March—in which a lumberjack successfully defended himself—attracted notable attention. These events document the environmental and climatic conditions of the region during that period. →
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"Unusual Weather Volatility and Winter Caprices in 1836." Der Bote für Tirol, 25 February 1836. https://digital.tessmann.it/tessmannDigital/Zeitungsarchiv/Seite/Zeitung/47/1/25.02.1836/151271/4. https://www.meran-archive.com/en/artikel/1836-02-25-ungewoehnlicher-witterungswechsel-und-wetterkapriolen-im-winter-1836