In the spring and summer of 1816 , a persistent stratospheric sulfate aerosol veil , described then as a " dry fog " , was observed in the northeastern United States . It was not dispersed by wind or rainfall , and it reddened and dimmed sunlight to an extent that sunspots were visible to the naked eye . Areas of the northern hemisphere suffered extreme weather conditions and 1816 became known as the " year without a summer " . Average global temperatures decreased about , enough to cause significant agricultural problems around the globe . After 4 June 1816 , when there were frosts in Connecticut , cold weather expanded over most of New England . On 6 June 1816 , it snowed in Albany , New York and Dennysville , Maine . Similar conditions persisted for at least three months , ruining most crops across North America while Canada experienced extreme cold . Snow fell until 10 June near Quebec City , accumulating to
year without a summer
Year Without a Summer
Mount Tambora