Indonesian eruptions, western migration

 In 1815, a volcanic eruption in Indonesia caused massive Western migration in the United States... 

Mount Tambora’s eruption remains the largest in recorded history.  The explosion led to 70,000 – 90,000 deaths in the area, primarily due the destruction of local agricultural systems.  It was heard 1,200 miles away in Sumatra.  

Tambora's location in Indonesia

 However, the eruption also led to global climate effects, including an effect known as volcanic winter, in which volcanic ash blocks the sun while sulfuric acid droplets absorb and reflect the suns radiation. 

Mount Tambora

 During the summer of 1816, the volcanic winter led to snow falling across New England throughout the entire summer, with summer frosts further south.  Hungry and despairing families turned west in droves, some of them worried that “the year without a summer” was an apocalyptic sign... 

Here are some wild apocalyptic-volcanic images.  Volcanic eruptions can also spawn lightning storms as colliding particles build up electrical charges.