Rain, And Yes Snow Coming To Vermont; Will Help Slightly With Drought

Back to snow covered flowers for some of us in Vermont
Thursday night and Friday, but hey, we need the 
moisture in any form we can take it. 

With everything greening up much earlier than usual this spring, the last thing people enjoying this want in Vermont is a winter storm. 

But, a few parts of Vermont are in for just that situation Thursday night and Friday.  The odd thing is the prospects of snow are actually a very good thing. 

Any kind of moisture at this point will be so welcome.  Even if that moisture is snow. 

I guess the weather gods heard us complaining about the current drought in the Green Mountain State and wanted to help out with a bitter sense of humor. So, for some of us, snow it is!

A winter storm watch is up for the southernmost two counties of Vermont, and up into Windsor County, and the high elevations of eastern Rutland and Addison counties.  This will be an elevation storm, with the places in the six inch plus club for snow being up above 1,000 feet, and more likely up above 2,000 feet in elevation. 

Most of us valley dwellers will see a cold rain, probably mixed with wet snow flakes at times. 

Projections for this storm have been creeping northward over the past few days, which gives us in northern New England a better shot at precipitation than in earlier forecasts. Which of course I'm really happy about. Dusty gardens in Vermont during April is definitely weird and scary. Let's hope this precipitation actually plays out, now that we have our hopes up. 

According to current forecasts, you'll really start to notice the change from the long, oddly warm spell we've had. Under a cloudy sky, temperatures will struggle to make it into the 50s. Then light rain will start, spreading southwest to northeast across our area.  As the rain begins, temperatures will fall into the 40s. 

This initial rain will mostly be from a disturbance coming in from the west. Meanwhile, a nor'easter will form along the the Mid-Atlantic coast and move into coastal New England Friday. This scenario will pivot moisture back into western New England, which gives at least some of us a welcome soaking. 

Snow levels in Vermont will fall overnight Thursday, and even many valleys will see that rain/snow mix late Thursday night and Friday morning. 

The mountain passes over the Green Mountains, Routes 9, 4, 73, 17 and 125, and maybe Interstate 89 near Brookfield will probably see full blown winter storm conditions overnight Thursday and into Friday with heavy, wet snow.  It's possible some of the high elevations in far southern Vermont could see a foot of sloppy snow, with six inches more plausible in the lofty spots further north. 

Power outages will likely be an issue up high as well. 

Friday will be cold, raw, wet breezy day as the nor'easter lingers near the New England coast. A light, cold rain will probably continue most if not all of the day, with snow up high.  Snow levels will rise Friday as it is mid-April.  Some heat from the sun will get through the clouds to "warm" us up a bit. 

Still, temperatures will stay close to 40 degrees all day even in the "milder" valleys. 

Total rain and melted snow at this point. looks like it will amount to an inch or a little more in far southern Vermont, down to a half to three quarters of an inch north and west of Interstate 89, with even a little less than that in the Northeast Kingdom.

This won't be nearly enough to solve our drought problems, but it would certainly help. Keep doing your rain dances in hopes of this scenario becoming reality. 

The weather will slowly improve Saturday, but it will remain slightly cool for the season.  Then we pop back up to near 60 degrees Sunday and into the first part of next week.

During this storm, temperatures will stay at or a little above freezing, even at night, so early plants that have greened up outdoors should survive. If you have tomato starts or other tender things like that out on your back deck, you'll want to bring them indoors for this storm, but otherwise, gardeners should e all set.  Just enjoy the needed moisture. 

We'll certainly need quite a bit more rain even if forecasts for this storm prove accurate. There are chances for rain next week, but if, how much and when is still open to a lot of debate.