A (Relatively) Cool Vermont July About To Get A Little Cooler

Probably the most gorgeous evening of the summer so far in

Vermont on Friday had me tendng the tomatoes while enjoying

the blue skies and comfortable temperatures. 

 Heat waves have been plaguing many parts of the nation, and for that matter the world this month, but here in New England, we're escaping the torrid conditions.  

At home in Vermont, it's been a front loaded summer. Unseasonable heat in May, a blast furnace June. Then a July that, let's just say will not be all that painful in the air conditioning bill department. 

After experiencing nine days of 90 degree heat by June 30, Burlington will have a July without a single day reaching that 90 degree level. 

This month will NOT come close to becoming one of the coolest Julys on record, but it will be the nippiest since 2009.  

A persistent weather pattern has given New England this refreshing turn of midsummer weather. A hot ridge of high pressure through a deep layer of the atmosphere has parked over the western half of the United States.   It's been hot out in that part of the nation, and it will continue to be that way through the end of the month.

Back here in Vermont, it's also been awfully cloudy for July, but when the skies manage to clear, it becomes gorgeous.  It's warm enough to enjoy all those traditional summer outdoor things, like beaches and pool parties, but cool enough not to drop dead from the heat hiking, out in the garden or out on the golf course. 

Yesterday was a case in point. 

The cloudy nature of the month is driving the relative coolness at least as much as the generally northwesterly air flow we've experienced. The clouds have been holding daytime temperatures down, while keeping nighttime lows balmy, relatively speaking. 

In Burlington, the average low temperature so far this month is 62 degrees, which is close to the "new normal."  Remember, normal is different now because it takes into account the climate driven heat of the past 20 years. 

The average daytime high so far this month is 77.4 degrees, which is quite a bit cooler than "normal." 

If anything the cool nature of the month will intensify around here later next week as the northwesterly air flow from Canada becomes even more pronounced.

This, unfortunately for northern Vermont, is a fairly dry regime, so it won't rain much after Sunday.  Southern Vermont kinda needs a break from the rain anyway. 

The way this month has turned out in Vermont is quite the opposite of most long range forecasts I'd seen in the spring, which called for a hot summer. 

It's unclear how August will turn out as a whole, but early indications are the first part of next month will also be on the cool side.