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| Gusty winds last week tossing these chaotic clouds around over St. Albans, Vermont. We've entered Vermont's gusty season |
We've definitely entered the Green Mountain State's gusty season.
Nine of the first 11 days of November in Burlington have featured gusts to at least 34 mph. Three of them gusty over 40 mph.
The wind in Vermont was strong enough Friday to cause a few scattered power outages.
Now that we're into November, the weather systems crossing the nation are energized by a jet stream that's usually right over the United States this time of year.
That means bigger storm systems, which translates to windier systems. Routine low pressure systems or average areas of high pressure for this time of year and still make it plenty breezy.
It's usually windiest in the Champlain Valley, especially when the wind is from the south. The topography of the Adirondacks and Green Mountains funnels south winds.
Of course, we also have surges of strong wind from the northwest behind cold fronts and departing storms. That's the situation we find ourselves in today.
We'll see gusts to 40 mph. Today will also be an example of how we are now also getting into wind chill season. Highs today will only be in the 30s to near 40 for most of us. Those gusty winds will make it feel more like it's in the 20s. In other words. Winter.
FIRES
In almost all Novembers, all this wind in the Northeast is not a big deal, unless the storm in question is so strong that the winds start blowing down trees or causing structural damage. But that's an exception. Usually it's just hang on to your hat weather.
We're in a much worse situation this year, though.
This autumn has featured record dryness in the Northeast, and the brush and forest fires rage on, spread by erratic winds that blow from a particular direction one day, and the opposite direction the next.
Rain that fell on the region Sunday and Sunday night was disappointingly light and din't make a real difference in the situation. What little moisture fell dried out quickly and it's still crunchy dry in much of the East.
In northern Vermont, we should be OK Tuesday as early morning rain showers, changing to some snow showers in higher elevations have wetted things down again just a little. It'll get us through most of the day, anyway.
The southeastern half of Vermont got very little or no precipitation last night, and drought conditions are worse there than in northern Vermont. That means today's blustery northwest could really spread any fires that get going there. The humidity in the air will crash as the sun comes out later, too, which won;t help.
One piece of good news: A 10-acre brush fire in West Brattleboro, Vermont that started Friday was brought under control Sunday.
From Massachusetts on south and west to the Mid-Atlantic States, it's even worse. Paltry showers early Monday quickly dried out, and existing wildfires continue to burn today. The dry windy weather today just make matters worse.
A burn ban that was in effect until Monday has been extended another week in southern Vermont. But anywhere in Vermont, you probably shouldn't do any outdoor burns until we get a decent amount of rain and.or snow.
A red flag warning for fire danger is in effect today for all of southern New England and southeastern New York.
I think what worries everyone is, if it doesn't rain soon and an intense, dry wind hits, that could drive the eastern wildfires through neighborhoods and destroy houses and other structures. We don't need something like the deadly firestorm that trashed swaths of Gatlinburg, Tennessee back in late November, 2016.
After today, it looks like we'll see a semi-break from the winds for a few days, though Saturday might prove to be blustery.
That seeming anti-rain force field will hold strong over southern New England and much of the Mid-Atlantic States for at least the next week. Little or no rain is forecast for that region for at least th next seven days.
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