Long Warm Spell To Close 2022 And Begin The New Year

It might not exactly look like this in Vermont as we head
into the New Year, but the the weather will be mostly
springlike from now through at least the first week
of the New Year. 

UPDATE 4 p.m.

The warmth is already over-performing in at least parts of Vermont this afternoon

As of 3 p.m. it was 48 degrees in Burlington.  That's not close to the record high of 58, but it is a good 17 degrees above normal.

Updated forecasts have not changed much, as it will stay warm well into next week.

Winter will eventually return.  There's a lot of time left for snow and cold, that's for sure. But for now, enjoy springtime in winter. 

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION

 The temperature rose above freezing at the National Weather Service office in South Burlington before 4 a.m. this morning. 

It will stay above freezing until Sunday night.  And remain toasty for the season for at least a few days after that.

Welcome to spring time in the dead of winter. 

The long anticipated weather pattern change to warm weather after the Christmas cold blast is here. And it's not going away anytime soon.

It's kind of rare - but not unheard of - for temperatures to stay above freezing for so long this time of year, but it looks like it's in the cards.

The new weather pattern has storm after storm bashing into the West Coast. Another big wave of rain is hitting California tomorrow, prompting widespread flood watches in the state.  They need the rain, but they are getting too much, too fast.

This parade of storms into the Pacific Coast need to go somewhere, so they head east across the United States.  That strong push of storms heading east ensures that mild Pacific air makes cross country trips, making it all the way to the East Coast, including Vermont. 

It'll be an active pattern through much of the U.S., probably for a couple weeks.  That means frequent precipitation chances in Vermont to go along with the warmth.  Which, in turn, means mostly rain storms for now. 

At this point, it looks wet in the Green Mountain State on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.   It won't be a blockbuster storm, but bring your umbrellas to any New Year celebrations. At least you won't freeze, right?

For the next few days, although high temperatures will be way above normal, I don't expect record highs. But we do have shots at record low high minimum temperatures on some days.  For instance, the highest low temperature on record in Burlington s 35 degrees, and the expected low temperature that day is 39.

Chances are it will temporarily cool off a little later on New Years Day and into the beginning of the week, but still remain warmer than average.  A new storm looks to start Tuesday. At this point, it looks like that system could start off as snow but change to rain as a renewed surge of warm air pushes into the Green Mountain State.