Long ago in Central Europe it was believed that the “Ice Saints” brought a cold wave in mid-May and that plants could suffer greatly if these saints were ignored. This is a myth, but a beautiful one. Reality has shown that it is sometimes frosty in May and on the plain. When was the last spring frost in several cities of the country? What is the story of the ice saints?

Late spring frosts are exceptional weather phenomena, since in April-May the weather is significantly warmer than in early spring, and frosts occur mainly at an altitude of more than 600 m.

In areas such as Intorsura Buzăului, Meercurea Ciuc and Joseni, frost can occur – very rarely indeed – even in June, while in Dobruja it stops freezing in the second half of April. Above 1,000 m, it can freeze in June, and above 1,800 m in July and August.

• Romania and the history of less and less snow – How the number of days with snow has decreased, from the mountains to the sea

May can also be frosty in Bucharest, on May 8th at the latest, while several cities in Transylvania can experience sub-zero degrees between May 10th and 15th, but something like that happens once in a few dozen years.

An exceptional episode occurred in mid-May 1980, when it snowed in Suceava and frost in Cluj and Tirgu Mures.

The last frost in Konstanz was on April 12, and in Sulin on April 6. An unusual episode was on April 27, 2016, when Calafat and Beche also experienced frost. It didn’t last long: the daytime maximum was 20 degrees.

1978 was an unusual year. On May 13, there were frosts in Oradea, Davie and Timisoara, and on May 14 – in Bacau.

Die Eisheilige (Ice Saints)

In German folklore, it was believed that in mid-May, extremely cold air would come in from the north at night, and gardens and crops could suffer if the “saints” brought hoarfrost to the ground. Germany has five ice saints, from May 11 to May 15, but the days vary from region to region, with some having three days and starting on May 12. There are also versions in which the days of the five saints fall on the period from May 8 to 12, as well as places that celebrate from May 12 to 15.

The last of the five saints is… the feast called “Kalte Sophie” (Cold Sophia), which, according to tradition, will come on May 15 and bring cold air from the north.

• History of late spring snow – When it snowed in May in Brasov and when it still snowed in Predial in June

“Pflanze nie vor der Kalten Sophie,” says the old proverb: “Don’t plant in front of a cold Sophie.” The great fear of the peasants several centuries ago was the appearance of a late spring frost, which would destroy everything sown. Destroyed culture meant famine.

There are also theories according to which the weather data actually confirms that cold air masses from the polar regions reach Central Europe in the middle of May, but the lowest temperatures in May are usually recorded in the first days of the month. There have also been frosts in mid-May in Romania, you can read about them in this article, but such late frosts happen once every few decades at low altitudes, around May 15.

Late spring frosts in the last 110 years

1915 year

In Bucharest, Filaret was -0.2°C on May 7, and in Campina -1.5°C. It was -2°C in Buzau.

1935 year

In May, it was -0.1°C in Galaka, and -5°C in Timisoara on May 3.

1938 year

In May, it was -1.2 C in Tirgu-Zhiu

1952 year

On May 22, it was -1.5 C in Campina, an extreme late frost.

1953 year

It was -2.4 C in Devi in ​​May.

1965 year

On April 6, it was 0 degrees in Sulin

1976 year

In May, it was -1.6 C in Tirgu Mures.

1978 year

On May 13, there were frosts in Oradea, Davie and Timisoara (-1 C), and on May 14 – in Bacau.

1980 year

On May 15, it was below zero in Cluj, Suceava and Tirgu Mures.

On May 14, a layer of snow fell in Suceava, snow fell in Merkurya-Chuk, Bistrica and Josena. At this time, it also snowed in Bacau, Piatra Neamts, Kotnar and Tg Neamts (where a layer of snow of 4 cm also fell).

It was an extraordinary month. On the 14th in Suceava, the maximum was only 3 degrees, and on the 22nd in Botosani, the minimum was 2 degrees. In Rabnitsa, in the Republic of Moldova, on May 24, it was -0.4 heat.

1984 year

Drobeta-Turnu-Severin (-0.4°C) and Turnu-Magurele (-1.5°C) had negative minimums on April 29.

1988 year

It was 0 degrees in Bucharest Banyas on May 2. In Kalarash on May 1, it was -0.1 C.

1992 year

Negative minimums were on May 25 in Satu Mare and on May 27 in Brasov.

1994 year

On May 5, it was 0 degrees in Iasi

1995 year

On April 12, it was -1.3 C in Constanta

1997 year

On April 10, Constanta was -0.4 degrees Celsius

1999 year

On May 8, it was 0 degrees in Bucharest Bienias, and -0.6 C in Sibiu. It was -1.2 C in Campina.

2000 year

On May 3, it was -0.6°C in Iasi, -1.2°C in Campina.

2007 year

The period of May 1-3 was extremely cold. It was -7.7°C in Miercuria-Cuc, -1.1°C in Bucharest Benias, -4.9°C in Satu Mare, -2.1°C in Sibiu and -3.7 in Tirgu Mures °C.

2011 year

On May 8, it was -0.2 C in Sibiu.

2016 year

On April 27, it was -0.8 degrees in Calafat, and -0.1 degrees in Beche, the place where the temperature record for April (+35.5 degrees) was set.

2017 year

On the morning of May 10 and 11, negative temperatures were observed: in Merkurya-Chuk -5.1, in Toplyka -4.2, in Dei -1.5, in Satu-Mara -0.4.

How dangerous are late spring frosts

In the spring, the greatest danger for agricultural crops is severe frosts at the end of April – beginning of May.

Late spring frosts can damage plants and trees for several reasons. One concerns the development of vegetation, because in the spring period, plants and trees begin their growth and flowering process. Late frosts can affect this development and damage buds, flowers or young leaves. Depending on the strength of the frost, it can stop or delay the growth of plants, affecting the production of fruits and seeds.

This year, it snowed almost all over the country on Easter

Cell damage also occurs: late frosts can cause plant cell damage. Freezing of water in plant cells can lead to the formation of ice crystals that can rupture cell membranes and damage delicate plant tissues. This damage can affect the normal functioning of plants and can compromise their ability to grow or even survive.

During the flowering period, flowers and newly formed fruits are especially vulnerable to frost. Low temperatures can cause damage to the flower structure and disrupt pollination and fruit formation. This can affect fruit, seed or pollen production and have negative consequences for plant yield and reproduction.

There can be a serious negative impact on trees: in the case of fruit trees, late frosts can cause serious damage. Frost can damage tree bark, affecting sap flow and possibly causing branches to break. It can also make trees more vulnerable to disease and infection.

The intensity and impact of late frosts can vary depending on plant type, developmental stage, frost duration, and temperature. It’s not serious if it reaches -0.1C for a minute or two and then rises, but there have also been cases where low elevations in May have also had lows below -2C, with temperatures below freezing for tens of minutes.