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There are several possibilities for the start of the migrations. I can't find my reference book right now, but I think there was a significant volcanic event around 180 AD. In the Third Century AD, the volcano Ilopongo in Central American had a very major eruption. It seriously disrupted the Mayan civilization. I wish I could get a more accurate date on that volcano.

Regarding the wandering tribes, I have a wonderful reference from around 1980, Hammond Historical Atlas of the World. Page H-7 shows the wanderings of the tribes which I will try to describe. Some time after 150 AD the Goths migrate from the Baltic Sea area SE to the Crimea. 373 the Huns move West into the Crimea.

350 Goths move down into Bulgaria. 380-454 East Goths move West into Hungary. 376-378 West Goths move South as far as Constantinople (Istanbul), and by 398 Alaric is sweeping down into Greece as far as Sparta, in 399 he is headed north, 400 moving into costal Yugoslavia, and by 402 across northern Italy, then 408-410 down to visit the lucky Romans, and south to the toe of Italy's boot where he dies in 410. Then the West Goths under Athaulf head up Italy's west coast, 412 and over toward France, where by 413 they have passed Marseilles, and headed across the eastern Pyrenees, 414 into Spain. From 417 to 419 they go all the way to Gibralter and then back to Barcelona.

Around 404 to 406 the Alans, Suevi, and Vandals in the Poland/German area start to move East and South. One group goes as far as Florence, Italy in 405. The Vandals head for France and wander around, 407-409, before crossing the central Pyrenees. They spend some time in northern and western Spain and head south through Portugal to Gibralter, 420. In 427 Genseric crosses into North Africa and heads East, 427-432. When they hit Carthage they radiate out into the Mediterranean to Sicily and southern Italy, 440; Rome, 455; Corsica, 456; Sardinia; the Balearic Islands; and Cartagena, Spain, 460.

Some time during the Fifth Century the Angles, Saxons and Jutes are shown moving into England.

The Huns start moving from the Ukraine to Hungary/Romania in 433, and from 440 to 446 Atilla moves down into Greece. In 450 he moves from his H/R base west in 451, and in 452 he headed west, southwest from H/R into northern Italy. The map does not show it but I seem to recall he made it all the way to Rome. These guys really got around.

Regarding the 534-542 problem we have the account of SJB Barnish who in 1992 wrote "Variae of Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus." Cassiodorus comments, "How strange it is, I ask you, to see the principal star [the sun], and not its usual brightness; to gaze on the moon...shorn of its natural splendour? All of us are still observing...a blue-coloured sun...we marvel at bodies that cast no midday shadow...and this has not happened in the momentary loss of an eclipse, but has been going on equally through almost the entire year...whence can we hope for mild weather, when the months that once ripened the crops have been sick under the northern blasts? For what will give fertility, if the soil does not grow warm in summer?"

The comment about the blue sun is interesting. The same phenomenon was noted in Europe in 1773, when Iceland had the enormous Laki Fissure volcanic event, with great outpourings of fluorine gas, killing 90% of their cattle, and 10,000 people by starvation. Climatic and crop disturbances in Europe/France probably contributed to the French Revolution. "Your majesty, the people have no bread." "Then let them eat cake."