Cold waves that bring unexpected freezes and frosts during the growing season in mid-latitude zones can kill plants during the early and most vulnerable stages of growth . This results in crop failure as plants are killed before they can be harvested economically . Such cold waves have caused famines . Cold waves can also cause soil particles to harden and freeze , making it harder for plants and vegetation to grow within these areas . One extreme was the so-called Year Without a Summer of 1816 , one of several years during the 1810s in which numerous crops failed during freakish summer cold snaps after volcanic eruptions reduced incoming sunlight
Year Without a Summer
Year Without a Summer
Extreme weather