Vermont In The Throes Of March-Like Yo-Yo Weather Pattern

Sunset Tuesday in St. Albans, Vermont, just before a 
shift from wintry cold to warmth in Vermont. We'll
go back and forth with temperatures the next
few days, too. 

Given that we really haven't had much of a winter, it's fitting that a typical March pattern is hitting before the third month of the year even hits.  

That weather pattern involves some seriously yo-yoing temperatures for us. Along with abruptly changing skies and precipitation risks. 

On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and to an extent Thursday morning, temperatures in Vermont fell to the single numbers either side of zero. Not super cold for February, but still the coldest weather since the third week in January. 

That was followed by a gorgeous Thursday afternoon with sunshine and readings near 40 degrees. 

One sign of spring popped up unexpectedly this morning, as a couple lightning strikes appeared between Massena, New York and Ottawa, Canada. Those showers and storms that included mixed precipitation were heading deeper into Canada by 8 a.m. and  for the most part won't affect us here in Vermont. 

Maybe a sprinkle later today, but that's it. 

But warmth and wind will get us today. Especially in the Champlain Valley, where gusts could reach 35 mph amid temperatures in the low 40s.

Tonight, it'll start to rain lightly, then in many areas that will transition to wet snow. There's that variable weather again. Where it snows, it won't amount to much. The warmer valleys might stay as a cold, light rain or mix of raindrops and snowflakes. 

Another slightly showery, but decidedly warm day hits Friday, with readings once again near 40.

WEEKEND

Then the bottom drops out of the temperatures. Pretty much the sharpest cold front of the winter will come through Friday night. It won't have too much in the way of snow showers with it, but boy, you will feel the change in the air. 

Amid strong, gusty northwest winds, temperatures will be in the single digits by Saturday morning and not rise much during the day. Those blustery northwest winds will continue all day, making Saturday a candidate for the most wintry day in what has almost been the winter that wasn't.

Forecasters are quite confident March will get off
to a warm start in the Northeast, including 
here in Vermont. 

If you think that real winter if finally, belatedly hitting on Saturday, think again.  Saturday night, temperatures will only fall a little to a few degrees either side of zero as the core of the cold air zips on out of here. 

By Sunday afternoon, we'll be back in the low to mid 30s and by the middle of next week, we'll see some balmy 40s to low 50s as it looks now. 

Here's another, not welcome sign of spring: Meteorologists are already beginning to look at a possible first substantial severe storm and tornado outbreak in the Midwest and Southeast Tuesday and Wednesday. 

That's not set in stone yet, but it's a sign of a changing season.  We won't see any severe weather here in Vermont, but those warm temperatures during the middle of next week might  not be the end of it. 

Long range forecasts are iffy, but if this one is true, we're under a torch for the opening week of March, with readings possibly far above normal for that time of year.