Anti-Rain Force Field Over Northern New England Getting Ridiculous

A map from the National Weather Service in South
Burlington show that many of us are four to six 
inches behind on precipitation over the last 180 days.
Prospects for rain this week are discouraging. 

 It almost seems as if it will never rain again in Vermont. Especially northern areas of the state.

The drought seems to be spiraling out of control.  

Every time rain makes a run at us, something in the weather pattern blocks it. 

On Sunday, a wet weather front to the southwest wanted to make a go at us, but stalled out in New York and far southwestern New England.

Part of the cause?  A dry, backdoor cold front from the northeast pushed back at the rain, preventing it from reaching us. 

Yet another disturbance from the west is going to getting shunted to our south Wednesday, just as several storms have this month.

Finally, at the end of the week, it looks like a nor'easter might take shape.  But, instead of a nice northward movement that would wet down all of New England, early indications are it might take a sharp turn eastward, which would keep northern New England dry. 

The National Weather Service in South Burlington said at present, that nor'easter will create a sharp line between wet and possibly snowy weather in southeastern Vermont and continued dry conditions north and west.

It's getting disturbing working in the gardens, prepping them for the season and stirring up so much dust. Usually, garden work this time of year is a rather muddy affair. 

NWS South Burlington put out a map today, pictured in this post, that shows many of us are four to seven inches behind in precipitation over the past 180 days.  That's a lot of ground to make up, and the dry, dry forecast doesn't make things better.

It doesn't help that it's generally been much sunnier and warmer than average since mid-March.  This kind of weather makes evaporation quicker and more efficient. 

In a month or so, we'll start getting into the season when rain starts becoming more hit and miss, rather than those steady spring storms that create a steady rain over the whole area.

Plus, those late spring and summer hit and miss rains tend to come in quick downpours rather than hours-long steady drenchings. Those quick downpours largely run off before they have a chance to fully soak into the ground. 

Unless the weather pattern changes dramatically and soon, we're in for a long, dry summer in Vermont.