AD 1600-1700

Key: G=Geological phenomenon M=Meteorological A=Astronomical

Key

Year A.D.

Month

Day

Location

Phenomenon

Description

G

1600

November

26?

Peru  

Volcano 

Explosion Huainaputina,;  Tambo R. dammed by debris

G

1600

July

20

Tyrol

River burst

Vernagt glacier dams river, great floods when dam burst

G

1601 (c)

 

 

Unknown

Volcano

Great eruption created haze over Scandinavia

G

1601

September

8

Europe

Earthquake

Almost all Europe & part of Asia

A

1604

October

9

China, Europe

Supernova

Discovery date. Kepler's Star

M

1606

 

 

Germany

Drought

No rain for 7 months

G

1606

 

 

Japan

Earthquake

Mountain rose from sea in one night

M

1606

March

27

Belgium

Gale

Most buildings unroofed

M

1607

January

27

Severn , England

Sea flood

Hundreds drowned

M

1607

February

 

Switzerland

Mild winter

Violets bloomed in Feb.

A

1607

May

28

Prague

Sunspot

Seen by projection

A

1607

October

27

 

Halley's Comet

Perihelion. Long bright tail

M

1607

December

 

London

Cold

Frost fair on Thames . To Feb. 1608

M

1608

January

20

England

Severe winter

Firth of Forth froze. 'Great winter'

M

1608

May

15

Dantzig

Cold spring

Ditches still frozen

G

1608

November

8

Scotland

Earthquake

Felt Dundee , Edinburgh , Glasgow , Aberdeen , etc.

A

1609

June

 

England

Moon

1st obs. by telescope, Thomas Harriot

M

1609

October

 

England

Severe winter

Frost lasted 4 months. Thames frozen

G

1610

June

22

France

Glacier advance

La Rosiére glacier crushed 5 houses

A

1610

July

6

 

Lunar eclipse

1st obs. by telescope

G

1611

December

2

Sanriku , Japan

Earthquake

5,000 drowned, 80 ft. tsunami

G

1612

November

8

Crete

Earthquake

Buildings thrown down. Also Germany to Dec. 7

M

1613

May

29

Thuringia

Cloudburst

For 11 hours. Great floods

M

1615

May

1

England

Late snow

Snow 1 ft. deep, Derbyshire

M

1616

June

 

Switzerland

Hot summer

Hottest for 500 years. 50 days' drought

A

1618

August

 

Styria

Meteor

'Blood' & stones fell

G

1618

August

25

Switzerland

Earthquake

Mt. Conto in the Grisons fell, 1,200 k.

G

1618

September

4

Switzerland

Rockfall

1,500 k. in Plurs

A 1618 November 16   Comet Tail 70° long
A

1619

February

14

China

Comet

Tail 100° long

G

1619

July

 

Hekla , Iceland

Volcano

Ash fell in Norway

A

1620

June

15

Europe

Lunar eclipse

Moon vanished in totality

A

1620

December

9

Europe

Lunar eclipse

Moon vanished in totality

A

1621

April

10

Jalandhar , India

Meteorite

Iron fall. Made into weapons

M

1621

September

2

France

Aurora

All over France

M

1622

 

 

Europe

Cold winter

All European rivers & Zuyder Zee froze

A

1623

January

10

Devon , England

Meteorite

10 lb. stone fell at Stretchleigh

G

1623

March

24

Norway

Earthquake

'More violent than any remembered'

A

1623

November

17

Germany

Meteor

'Burning globe' at sunset

G

1624

 

 

Azores

Earthquake

Island 1½ leagues long rose nr. St. Michel

G

1625

September

2

Katla , Iceland

Volcano

Subglacial eruption. Ash fell Norway

M

1626

June

12

London

Waterspout

On river at Westminster

G

1626

July

30

Italy

Earthquake

30 towns wr., 17,000 k.

M

1627

 

 

Apulia

Flood

16,000 drowned

G

1627

 

 

Phillipines

Earthquake

Mountain 'levelled' in Cagayan province

A

1627

November

27

Nice, France

Meteorite

59 lbs. stone fell

A

1628

April

9

England

Meteorites

3 stones fell, Oxfordshire. Largest 26 lb.

G

1628

August

28

Pleurs , Italy

Landslide

2,200 k.

G

1630

September

2

Azores

Volcano

St. Michel. Rain of ashes

A

1630

November

29

Alsace

Meteorite

300 lbs. stone fell

G

1631

December

16

Vesuvius , Italy

Volcano

Lava & nuee ardentes, 4,000 k.

G

1633

 

 

Ethiopia

Volcano?

'Eruption of a mountain'

A

1634

August

15

Messina , Italy

Mirage

Fata Morgana. 1st description

M

1634

October

11

North Sea

Sea flood

Great storm flood, Germany , Denmark , 6,000 drowned

A

1634

October

27

Belgium

Meteorites

Several stones, to 8 lbs.

G

1634

December

 

Mt. Etna , Sicily

Volcano

Eruption until 1638

G

1636

January

25

Azores

Volcano

St. Michel. New island formed

G

1638

 

 

Java

Volcano

Raung Volcano eruption k. 1,000s

G

1638

March

27

Italy & Sicily

Earthquake

Sea retired 2 miles at Pizzo, 180 towns wrecked

G

1638

June

2

New England

Earthquake

Houses thrown down

M

1638

October

21

Devon , England

Tornado

Several k. in church Widecombe

A

1639

 

 

China

Meteorite?

Stone fell, destroyed many houses. Many people k.

A

1639

November

29

England

Transit of Venus

1st. observation, by Horrocks

M

1640

 

 

Chile

Aurora

Aurora Australis

M

1640

January

27

England

Aurora

Streams from dark arch

G

1640

April

4

Europe

Earthquake

France , Belgium , Holland , Germany

A

1642

April

14

Europe

Lunar eclipse

Moon invisible at totality

M

1642

June

 

Germany

Fall

Burning fist-sized sulphur lumps fell on Loburg Castle

A

1642

August

4

England

Meteorit e

4 lb. stone fell in Suffolk

A

1642

December

2

Ofen , Hungary

Meteorit e

'Mass' fell. 'Doubtful'

A

1643

 

 

Europe

Sunspots

Across rd. of Sun

M

1643

March

10

S. England

Aurora

Shining cloud like sword

G

1643

April

12

New Guinea

Earthquake

Several shocks

G

1645

February

12

Norway

Whirlpool

Maelstrom raged

G

1645

November

30

Phillipines

Earthquake

Most stone buildings fell

G

1646

April

5

Constantinople

Earthquake

Wave stranded 136 ships

M

1646

May

16

Hasnia , Italy ?

Fall

Rain with sulphur. Powder found

A

1647?

 

 

Rochefort

Meteorite?

8lb. stone fell on ship, killing 2 men

A

1647

February

18

Saxony

Meteorite

50 lbs. stone fell at Zwickau

M

1648

 

 

Europe

Noctilucent clds.

Maignon describes luminous clouds

A

1649

September

1

Hamburg

Meteor

Moved in bounds

G

1650

September

24

Santorin Island

Volcano

New island rose & disappeared in eruption

A

1652

April

8

Scotland

Solar eclipse

Mirk Monday

G

1652

 

 

Palma , Canaries

Volcano

Eruption on island. Also Azores eruption this year

A

1652

November

2

Europe

Comet

'Almost as large as Moon'

G

1653

 

 

Smyrna

Earthquake

3,000 k.

A

1654

March

30

Denmark

Meteorites

Many stones fell at Fünen

G

1654

July

23

Italy

Earthquake

Many villages ruined

M

1655

December

10

Scotland

Blizzard

Snow, wind & sea flood, Fifeshire. Houses fell, ships lost

M

1657

June

21

England

Hot summer

Heat by day & night

M

1658

February

27

Europe

Cold winter

Great snow in Rome , Feb.

M

1660

June

2

England

Tornado

Worthington , Leics. Trees uprooted

G

1660

June

21

Pyrenees

Earthquake

Mountain sank & left lake

M

1660

November

3

Katla , Iceland

Volcano

Great destruction. Glacier-burst

M

1661

February

20

Gdansk

Halo complex

2 haloes, parhelic circle, arcs & 6 parhelia

M

1661

March

21

London

Aurora

2 'armies' in sky

G

1662

 

 

Oomi , Japan

Earthquake

Mountain sank & left level ground

M

1662

January

15

London

Mild winter

Like 'May or June'

M

1662

February

18

England

Gale

SW storm & thunder, 'Windy Tuesday'

M

1662

July

20

England

Tornado

'Pillar of smoke', track 7 miles long, Cheshire .

A

1662

December

10

Novy-Ergi , Russia

Meteorite

Fireball, detonations, shower of stones

G

1663

February

5

Canada

Earthquake

St.Laurence River . Quebec injured

M

1663

August

15

Russia

Anomalous phen.

Huge fireball over lake for 1½ hours, Robozero

M

1663

August

28

England

Summer cold

Great frost. Cold summer

M

1664

February

19

England

Haloes

2 lunar haloes

M

1664

August

16

London

Thunderstorm

Intense lightning & rain

M

1665

March

21

Germany

Fall

Blue fibrous matter

M

1665

July

2

England

Tornado?

'Great grey ball' fell in Norfolk storm, much damage. 1 k.

G

1665

October

15

Canada

Earthquake

Preceded by very loud noise

G

1666

January

18

Hungary

Earthquake

Also shock in England , prob. same date

M

1666

April

21

Kent , England

Fall

2 acres at Cranstead covered in small fish after thunder

G

1666

November

 

Assyria

Earthquake

5 towns & 45 villages ruined, 4 new mts. raised

G

1667

 

 

Schamaki

Earthquake

80,000 k. Great earth movements

G

1667

April

6

Italy

Earthquake

5,000 k., Ragusa . Submarine explosions

M

1667

August

27

Virginia

Hurricane

Jamestown wrecked

M 1667 September 1 St. Kitts Hurricane Great damage
M

1667

October

23

Lincs. , England

Tornado

Many houses destroyed, 1k. at Welbourn

G

1667

November

 

Caucasia

Earthquake

80,000 k.

A

1668

March

5

Europe

Comet

Tail 'of stupendous length'

A

1668

June

21

Italy

Meteorites

Fireball & shower of stones, Vago Verona, up to 136 Kg.

G

1668

August

17

Turkey

Earthquake

6,000 k.

A

1668

November

 

Boston , Mass.

Lunar event?

'Star' in body of Moon between horns

G

1669

March

11

Etna , Sicily

Volcano

Lava flow from fissure destroyed 50 towns, 20,000 k.

M

1669

March

17

France

Fall

Stinking red liquid fell at Chatillion

M

1670

June

20

England

Halo complex

7 'circles of light', 8 parhelia

A

1670

July

11

China

Met eorit e

House damaged by fall

A

1671

February

27

Ortenau , Germany

Met eorit e

10 lb. stone fell

G

1671

March

31

Schamaki

Earthquake

Vast numbers of fireballs fell from sky

M

1671

December

9

S. England

Freezing rain

Great tree damage

G

1672

 

 

Greek Islands

Earthquake

Stanichio Island . 'swallowed up' with inhabitants

G

1672

April

14

Italy

Earthquake

1,500 k.

G

1673

 

 

Canaries

Volcano

Showers of fire & stones

M

1674

August

1

Holland

Tornadoes

Utrecht cathedral damage

A

1676

March

21

Italy

Meteor

Larger than Moon, 40 miles up, speed 9,600 mph

A

1676

September

20

England

Meteor

Seen in most of England

A

1677

May

28

Germany

Meteorites?

Many small stones with 'much copper' fell, Ermendorf

G

1677

November

13

Palma , Canaries

Volcano

Eruption to Jan. 1678

G

1678

June

17

Peru

Earthquake

Sea retreated & returned violently 24 hrs.(?) later

M

1678

August

 

Herts. , England

Crop circle

Oat field 'all on a flame'. Circle by daylight

G

1679

June

4

Ararat

Earthquake

Devastating. Flames issued from ground

M

1680

July

18

Massachusetts

Tornado

1st definite American tornado. Damage at Cambridge

G

1680

October

9

Spain

Earthquake

Earth clefts, Malaga

A

1680

November

14

Saxony

Comet

Discovery date. Curved tail 90° long

M

1681

July

 

Cape Cod

Fall

Burning bituminous matter fell on ship in thunderstorm

G

1682

May

2

Europe

Earthquake

Switzerland , France , Germany , etc.

A

1682

September

4

Europe

Halley's Comet

Perihelion date

M

1684

January

1

England

Severe winter

Thames Frost Fair begins. Frozen 2 months

M

1684

February

9

English Channel

Sea ice

Ice between Dover & Calais 'joined together'.

M

1684

December

23

S. England

Blizzard

Many froze to death

G

1686

 

 

Ternate

Volcano

'Vast shower of ashes'

M

1686

January

31

Germany

Fall

Damp black mass fell with snow, Memel

M

1686

May

 

Lisle, Holland

Hailstones

Stones up to 1 lb. fell

M?

1686

July

9

Leipsic

Anomaly

Fireball half size of Moon motionless 7½ minutes

M

1686

July

29

Venice

Tornado

Track 65 km. long

M

1687

July

4

China

Typhoon

Dampier's ship caught

M

1687

August

25

Yorkshire

Tornado

De La Pryme obs. funnel

G

1687

October

20

Lima , Peru

Earthquake

Lima & Callao wrecked. Sea wave

M

1688

 

 

Boston , Mass.

Coloured snow

Red snow fell

G

1688

March

1

Jamaica

Earthquake

Earth waves

G

1688

July

10

Smyrna

Earthquake

20,000 k.

M

1688

October

30

England

Aurora

Streamers 'warring' in N.

M

1688

December

20

England

Severe winter

Thames frozen to Feb. 6 '89 , frost fair

A

1689

November

24

Africa , India

Comet

Tail 60° long

M

1690

January

11

England

Gale

Storm of wind & snow for 3 hrs. Many k.

G

1690

October

17

Ireland

Earthquake

Dublin & Kilkenny

G

1691

February

19

Transylvania

Earthquake

3 days' shocks. Earth clefts, trees torn up

G

1692

 

 

Ile de Fer

Volcano

Off African coast. Eruption lasted 6 weeks

G

1692

June

7

Jamaica

Earthquake

Port Royal sank into sea

G

1692

September

8

Europe

Earthquake

England , France , Belgium , parts of Germany

G

1693

 

 

Spice Islands

Volcano

Lake of fire 'took possession of ' Sorea Island , inhab. fled

G

1693

January

9

Italy

Earthquake

Calabria & Sicily , 93,000 k. Felt France , Germany , etc.

G

1693

January

13

Hekla , Iceland

Volcano

Ash fall Norway & Scotland . Pumice carried to Faeroes

M

1694

April

22

Wales

Anomalous phen.

'Fiery exhalation' rose from sea. Grass tainted, cattle k.

G

1694

September

8

Italy

Earthquake

3,571 k., Avellino

M

1694

November

2

Scotland

Sandstorm

Culbin village lost for 230 years

M

1695

 

 

Iceland

Sea ice

Whole island surrounded

M

1695

 

 

Ireland

Fall

Clammy yellow substance fell in showers

M

1695

January

29

England

Cold winter

Frost & continual snow 5 weeks to date

M

1695

June

 

Bohemia

Summer cold

3 intense frosts. Famine

A

1695

October

28

Brazil

Comet

Tail 40° long

M

1697

May

4

Hertfordshire

Hail

Stones 14 ins. round. Several k.

M

1698

May

3

Norfolk

Late snow

Fell from 2 to 6 pm

G

1698

June

19

Ecuador

Volcano

Mt. Caruairazo 'fell in'

G

1699

January

5

Java

Earthquake

Batavia wrecked

A

1700

 

 

Jamaica

Meteorite?

Fiery body fell, Many holes in ground

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The Ancient World
AD1 -299
AD 300 - 599
AD 600 - 899
AD 900 - 1000
AD 1000-1099
AD 1100-1199
AD 1200-1299
AD 1300-1399
AD 1400-1500
AD 1500-1600
AD 1600-1700
AD 1701-1740
AD 1741-1760