1 8 0 9 ▁and ▁ 1 8 1 0 . ▁( See ▁sul f ate ▁concentration ▁chart .) ▁Sur face - temper ature ▁anom al ies ▁during ▁the ▁sum mers ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 1 7 ▁and ▁ 1 8 1 8 ▁were ▁− 0 . 5 1 , ▁− 0 . 4 4 ▁and ▁− 0 . 2 9   ° C , ▁respectively . ▁Al ong ▁with ▁a ▁cool er ▁summer , ▁parts ▁of ▁Europe ▁experienced ▁a ▁storm ier ▁winter , ▁and ▁the ▁El be ▁and ▁Oh ře ▁R ivers ▁fro ze ▁over ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁twelve ▁days ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 8 1 6 . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁prices ▁of ▁whe at , ▁r ye , ▁bar ley ▁and ▁o ats ▁rose ▁dram atically ▁by ▁ 1 8 1 7 . ▁ ▁This ▁climate ▁anom aly ▁has ▁been ▁c ited ▁as ▁a ▁reason ▁for ▁the ▁sever ity ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 1 6 – 1 9 ▁ty ph us ▁ep ide mic ▁in ▁sout heast ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁eastern ▁Mediter rane an . ▁In ▁addition , ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁liv est ock ▁died ▁in ▁New ▁England ▁during ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 6 – 1 8 1 7 , ▁while ▁cool ▁temper atures ▁and ▁heavy ▁ra ins ▁led ▁to ▁failed ▁har v ests ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Is les . ▁Famil ies ▁in ▁Wales ▁travel led ▁long ▁distances ▁as ▁refuge es , ▁begg ing ▁for ▁food . ▁Fam ine ▁was