The Big Snow: Winter of December 1981

Over 40 years ago, Britain experienced one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record, termed 'The Big Snow'.

The winter of 1981-82 saw one of the coldest Decembers ever recorded. The 12th-13th in particular saw temperatures widely plunge below -18C, with much of the country then snowbound for nearly one month.

With the cold snap taking grip on this day 42 years ago, Shawbury, Shropshire saw temperatures fall to -25.2C on 13 December, the coldest December temperature on record for England.

Wales also recorded their lowest ever temperature for the month on December 13, with -22.7C at Corwen, Denbighshire.

The lowest UK-wide record was felt in Scotland, with -27.2C at Braemar, Aberdeenshire, though this was not until January 10th, 1982. On that same day, Newport then recorded -26.1C, the all-time minimum temperature for England.

At the same time, a storm surge affected the Bristol Channel as the gale-force winds swung to the west, overtopping sea defences in Somerset and causing quite extensive flooding.