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| Traffic cam image taken just after the snow tapered off along high elevation Route 17 in Buels Gore, Vermont shows some pretty tall snowbanks lining the road after repeated snow falls this year. |
Thanks in large part to climate change most of the several winters have been downright tropical by Vermont standards.
Last winter was by far the warmest on record. The six warmest winters on record have all occurred since 2001-02. The top four have all happened since 2015-16.
It began to look like we were headed down a similar path earlier this winter. December featured some strong thaws and paltry snowfall. January was colder, but most of the snow that did fall hit the mountains and missed the valleys.
Right as January ended and February started, the snows started coming. Forecasts indicate that for awhile anyway, the snows could keep coming. Heck, it snowed a little again overnight and this morning.
We're really starting to build a pretty decent snow cover through most of Vermont at this point.
To be sure, in many if not most areas of Vermont, the season's snowfall at this point is still running below normal, but we're beginning to catch up.
Through Sunday, the seasonal snowfall in Burlington was 42.6 inches, about ten inches below normal for the date. That's still a lot better than the 27.9 inches of snow Burlington had thought February 9 of last year.
LACK OF THAWS
Because of a lack of major thaws since New Year's Day snow depths are better this winter than they have been in recent seasons. Most places outside the deeper, warmer valleys have around a foot or more of snow on the ground.
Some areas are getting semi-buried. As of Sunday, the snow depth in Greensboro and West Topsham was 29 inches. Westfield had 28 inches on the ground and Braintree was up to 27 inches.
That's nowhere near any kind of record, but it's up there.
Mountain summits are doing great. The spine of the Green Mountains always do better than the valleys when it comes to snow. But this year is even more disproportionate.
By Sunday, the snow depth near the summit of Mount Mansfield was 81 inches. Normal for this time of year up there is 57 inches.
MORE SNOW
As noted in previous forecasts, we have several chances for additional snowfalls in the coming couple weeks, and chances are temperatures will stay at or below normal most of the time for the next couple of weeks.
That makes even deeper snow cover a good possibility.
The snow showers (some of them kinda heavy) that have been harassing parts of northern and central Vermont his morning should pretty much disappear by this afternoon. More snow showers and a possible snow squall or two Tuesday afternoon or evening could dump another one to two inches of fluff on at least some parts of the state. One or two spots could have even a little more than that.
A storm system expected Thursday might drop a few more inches of snow, though forecasters don't yet know exactly how much. And we still don't know whether a little freezing rain or rain will mix in. We'll have more info on this later tomorrow or Wednesday.
Plus, there's a chance - just a chance - of a larger storm next Sunday.
SNOW GOOD NEWS
All this is mostly good news. Mostly involving money. The don't call winter snow white gold in Vermont for nothing.
I don't have stats yet, it's too early, but this decent snow has got to be driving winter sports enthusiasts to Vermont. The skiing and riding have been great. There's more than enough snow to support cross country ski centers and snowmobile trails, clubs and the businesses that depend on them.
That's good for the economy, as it's keeping people in tourism-related businesses employed. The fine folks at the Vermont Department of Taxes are probably not complaining about any extra sales tax revenue.
Plus, this snow feels good, or at least emotionally comforting.
Let's face it. Many of us do get sick of winter, frustrated by it. But it also feels pretty unsettling to wander your back yard in a light sweater amid 50 degree temperatures and no snow on the ground this time of year.
We were doing that just a year ago today. On February 10, 2024, the high temperature in Burlington was a record high of 56 degrees. The low was 42 degrees and scattered thunderstorms were reported. In other words, a mid-February day was typical of spring. Definitely weird.
We don't have the unsettling, snow-free feeling going on this February. Predicting highs in the 20s today won't feel particularly springlike.
Winters are of course trending warmer due to climate change, as mentioned. Actually this winter isn't particularly cold or snowy, but compared to recent ones, it feels old fashioned. Even with climate change, we'll still have the occasional winter that brings us some decent snow.
BAD NEWS
The only hint of bad news with this snowier regime is springtime. Chances are we'll go through the usual freeze/thaw cycle this spring and the snow and ice will gradually melt.
That would be great.
But given how unpredictable things have gotten in this age of climate change, we could see trouble if the snow keeps building up, and then all of a sudden the temperature soars to 60 degrees with downpours.
That would set us up for another flood. Especially since river ice is thicker and more widespread than in recent winters, thanks to a some cold nights we've managed to see this season. That's a recipe for ice jams.
But let's not worry about that for now. We'll just step aside and let the Vermont snow lovers rejoice.
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