[gleeaikin]

For contemporary account of that difficult time Google Cassiodorus:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&num=100&newwindow=1&q=cassiodorus%2C+strange+weather&btnG=Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks gleeaikin! Thanks to you, this topic is in the top ten hits in that Google search now. ;’)