Vermont Severe Storm Update: Pockets Of Flooding Now Biggest Concern

A few pockets of flooding wind and hail with today's 
turbulent weather in Vermont, but here in St. Albans, just
 little more welcome rain and a couple rumbles of thunder.

 Most of us did NOT receive severe thunderstorms in Vermont today, but a few places got it pretty good.

I give special kudos to the National Weather Service office in South Burlington. Before this all started today, they noted in their forecast discussion that several storms would form over the Green Mountains ahead of the main line of storms coming in from New York. 

Those Vermont storms would stabilize the air and limit the punch of the main squall line, except maybe in far southern Vermont. That's exactly what happened. 

The NWS/South Burlington also said some of those earlier storms would pack a punch and they did so. Several trees and power lines came down along Route 22A near Addison, and there were some reports of small hail, mostly about dime size.

In most places, though, the wind was manageable. I saw that Burlington got hit by a severe-warned storm, but the highest gust with it was a not-bad 36 mph. 

The big trouble spot this evening is, as usual around Rutland. That area seems so prone to torrential thunderstorms and it's happened again. 

I already told you about the gullywasher storm they had Saturday and the additional inch or so of rain Sunday morning in Rutland County. 

Late his afternoon, two thunderstorms ahead of the main line of storms merged over Rutland County, dumping torrential rain. Then the main band of storms was working through as I wrote this around 6p.m. and radar indicated the rain was especially heavy with this feature over Rutland County.

It's too soon to know how much flooding there is down in that neck of the woods. Could be minor, could be locally nasty.  Don't know yet. I hope to have some sort of update tomorrow morning. 

A flood warning was issued, followed up at 6 p.m. or so by a flash flood warning specifically for Rutland, Proctor, West Rutland, Pittsford, Ira, Castleton, Hubbardton, Poultney and Florence.  

I also noticed on radar at 6:15 p.m. an area of especially torrential rain moving up from Addison County into eastern Chittenden County.  That area has received little rain is a little better equipped to deal with the runoff. But if this holds together and makes it to areas north and west of Stowe, that could get dicey due to earlier heavy rain there. 

Most of the rest of us are getting rumbles of thunder and some very welcome rain, with a few heavier downpours mixed in just for emphasis

Although the severe thunderstorm watch was still in effect as of 6:15 p.m., I think the risk of damaging winds and large hail is not zero, but pretty low at this point. I noticed a new severe thunderstorm warning did pop up for the area around Montpelier just now. 

Beyond that, flooding is the only real concern I have. 

The outcome is uncertain on the flooding, so I'll update tomorrow.