Hoping This Nor'easter Is Vermont's Last Mention Of Snow Until Autumn

If you're bummed by the forecast of a little snow in the 
mountains the next couple days, it could be worse.
This is Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks
on May 26, 2013.

After a mediocre day of weather on Wednesday - I guess the best we can hope for lately - we're back to the deep chill and rain. And snow. 

The snow is still forecast to be limited to the highest elevations of Vermont and New Hampshire, but it's a little disconcerting to have this issue on the cusp of Memorial Day.

True, this kind of thing has happened before this time of year, but it doesn't make it any easier. 

THE FORECAST

For the vast majority of us in Vermont who will not see snow, we get to endure another three day spell of temperatures reminiscent of late March than late May.  

The dampness and mostly light rain and chilly easterly breezes will add to the misery. We are still forecast to have near record low high temperatures today. 

Burlington won't set the record today. It was in the low 50s before dawn and the record low high for the date is 49 back in 1917. Monpelier so far has tied its record low high for the date of 46, but it will probably get a little above that today, so no record.

If anything, though, Friday might be even a bit chillier. 

At least here in Vermont, forecasters have backed off a little on precipitation amounts. It'll be close to an inch in far southern parts of the state and maybe a third of an inch in the far northwest.

The nor'easter will be especially felt in eastern New England, where one to three inches of windswept rain is due, along with gusts along the shore to 55 mph, where minor coastal flooding is likely.  

Back here in Vermont, this will be a long lasting affair, starting today and going through Saturday. I think that makes this Saturday the ninth in a row with at least some rain. The stubborn storm will stall near eastern Maine and only grudgingly start to move away on Sunday. 

The snow, such as it is, will hit all the peaks of the Green Mountains but focus on central and southern Vermont where the precipitation will be heavier. I still think some of the summits down there will see up to three or four inches of snow. 

Worst case scenario, a few wet snowflakes will make it down to as low as 2,000 feet above sea level

COULD BE WORSE

If you think this is bad, harken back to May 2013.  On Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27, the mountains of Vermont, New Hampshire and New York got absolutely buried in snow. 

Mount Mansfield had 13.2 inches of snow. Jay Peak accumulated 18 inches. Mount Marcy over in the Adirondacks received three feet of snow 

The snow at times ventured down to valley floors. Snowflakes fell in elevations as low as 750 feet in Vermont, and accumulations were reported at elevations of 1,500 feet. 

Right before the the May, 2013 snow developed, in some cases serious floods hit parts of Vermont. Homes were damaged in some spots, and several roads closed. About 7.5 inches of rain poured down on Burlington between May 21 and 26,

And you thought this May was wet?

The 2013 late May storms set the stage for repeated flash floods in Vermont through June and the first half of July that year.

By the way, the latest in the season Burlington has ever seen snowflakes is on May 31, 1945.

So you see, this latest bout of cold rain and mountain snow won't be setting any records. Cold comfort, indeed.