Weather this climatic change he says must have made a huge impression on people who had never experienced anything like it hot. summer 816 near lake geneva a young british couple both aspiring writers were visiting their old friend lord byron. but their excursions into the countryside were thwarted by under usually cold weather. the couple had landed at the epicenter of a europe wide climate catastrophe. as the harvest eastern switzerland failed starving farmers left the barren mountain regions and desperately wandered through the country in search of something to eat. byron quickly got his friends away from the beggars and out of the raging storms.