In the Book of Acts it is recorded that there was a large famine over the whole world (which in ancient times normally constituted the Roman Empire). Acts states that this occurred during the reign of Claudius.
Acts 11:27-30
And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Josephus mentions a famine in Judea during the reign of Claudius which Queen Helena helped to ease.
Antiquities 20.2.5
Now her coming was of very great advantage to the people of Jerusalem; for whereas a famine did oppress them at that time, and many people died for want of what was necessary to procure food withal, queen Helena sent some of her servants to Alexandria with money to buy a great quantity of corn, and others of them to Cyprus, to bring a cargo of dried figs. And as soon as they were come back, and had brought those provisions, which was done very quickly, she distributed food to those that were in want of it, and left a most excellent memorial behind her of this benefaction, which she bestowed on our whole nation. And when her son Izates was informed of this famine, he sent great sums of money to the principal men in Jerusalem. However, what favors this queen and king conferred upon our city Jerusalem shall be further related hereafter.
Josephus goes on to give a more precise date of the famine.
Antiquities 20.5.2
Then came Tiberius Alexander as successor to Fadus; he was the son of Alexander the alabarch of Alexandria, which Alexander was a principal person among all his contemporaries, both for his family and wealth: he was also more eminent for his piety than this his son Alexander, for he did not continue in the religion of his country. Under these procurators that great famine happened in Judea, in which queen Helena bought corn in Egypt at a great expense, and distributed it to those that were in want, as I have related already.
Fadus governed Judæa from 44 to 46 and Tiberius Alexander from 46 to 48, so the famine likely lasted a number of years.
According to Tacitus a famine occurred in the year 51.
The Annals 12.43
Several prodigies occurred in that year. Birds of evil omen perched on the Capitol; houses were thrown down by frequent shocks of earthquake, and as the panic spread, all the weak were trodden down in the hurry and confusion of the crowd. Scanty crops too, and consequent famine were regarded as a token of calamity. Nor were there merely whispered complaints; while Claudius was administering justice, the populace crowded round him with a boisterous clamour and drove him to a corner of the forum, where they violently pressed on him till he broke through the furious mob with a body of soldiers. It was ascertained that Rome had provisions for no more than fifteen days, and it was through the signal bounty of heaven and the mildness of the winter that its desperate plight was relieved. And yet in past days Italy used to send supplies for the legions into distant provinces, and even now it is not a barren soil which causes distress. But we prefer to cultivate Africa and Egypt, and trust the life of the Roman people to ships and all their risks.
Note here are Tacitus claims that the famine was due to a lack of precipitation. He goes on to say that Rome imported most of its grain from Africa and Egypt, which would indicate that those locations had suffered from the lack of precipitation.
Suetonius also mentions a famine that covered several years.
The Twelve Caesars: Claudius 19 (My edition of this work has this passage in 18, but the online edition has it at 19)
During a scarcity of provisions, occasioned by bad crops for several successive years, he was stopped in the middle of the forum by the mob, who so abused him, at the same time pelting him with fragments of bread, that he had some difficulty in escaping into the palace by a back door. He therefore used all possible means to bring provisions to the city, even in winter. He proposed to the merchants a sure profit, by indemnifying them against any loss that might befall them by storms at sea; and granted great privileges to those who built ships for that traffic.
Put all this together it appears that a lack of precipitation (rain and snow) and bad luck with shipping combined to create famine like conditions for at least Italy, Africa, and Judea for several years (perhaps anywhere between three and seven years) during the reign of Claudius. Given that Africa was the Empire’s breadbasket and the fact that grain was persistently in short supply in Rome itself, it seems reasonable to conclude that it would also be in short supply throughout much if not all of the Empire.