The possible climatic impact in North China of the AD 1600 Huaynaputina eruption, Peru

The possible climatic impact in North China of the AD 1600 Huaynaputina eruption (Peru) is investigated utilizing the Chinese historical sources. According to the records in the historical local chronicles, exceptionally disastrous frosts occurred in many areas in North China during the summer and autumn of AD 1601, which destroyed crops and caused great famines. There was even a snowfall in the summer of AD 1601 in Huai'an County. No historical records of cold weather in AD 1602-1603 in North China are found. It seems that the climatic cooling following the Huaynaputina eruption is short-lived in this region, perhaps less than 1 year. According to the river ice condition records in the Journals of Mathew Ricci, the AD 1600/1601 winter might be not abnormally mild in North China. Copyright (c) 2008 Royal Meteorological Society