Another Close Miss For Needed Vermont Rainfall. At Least We'll Get Some Though

NOAA rainfall map for the next seven days. 
In northwest New York and in Maine, the lighter
shades of blue indicate generally 0.75 to 1 inch
of rain. Vermont is in a gap (green shading)
with predictions of only at most a half inch
 of rain with less than a quarter inch south.

Meteorologists are still watching that strong cold front that's slowly approaching us in Vermont with its needed rainfall.  

And we'll get some. But the forecast is infuriating. For us in the Green Mountain State, anyway. 

The front is forecast to dump up to an inch of rain on northern and northwestern New York tonight and early Friday. 

Then the rainfall will weaken, giving us just a third of an inch of rain (give or take) north, and less than a quarter inch south.

Once the front gets past us, it will get its act together again and dump more than three quarters of an inch of rain in parts of Maine tomorrow. 

Yes, New York and Maine desperately need the rain, so this weather front will be nice. But what are we in Vermont? Chopped liver?  Don't answer that. 

We'll take any rain we can get, so the little bit we'll receive will put a smile on my face,  but come on!  The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor comes out later this morning, so we'll get an update on how things are trending in Vermont. My guess is not great.

I'l do an update post once we have that new Drought Monitor information later today.  

CHILLY

Cool weather is the other story. It got chillier than expected around much of Vermont early this morning, another sign that autumn is making inroads.

Readings bottomed out at 39 degrees at both Montpelier, and especially surprising, Bennington.  I wouldn't be surprised if some cold hollows made it into the mid-30s. 

South winds in the Champlain Valley kept temperatures there in the low 50s. It'll be briefly warmer today ahead of the front, but not exactly hot. Most of us will get into the 70s, with some upper 70s in warmer valleys. That's maybe around normal for this time of year. 

You'll probably need your hoodie both Friday and Saturday, which will decidedly not be classic Labor  Day weekend beach days. The bulk of whatever showers we get will lurk around Vermont Friday, and that will hold temperatures in the 60s for most of us. 

Saturday will be a classic autumn in August day with breezes from the west,  partly to mostly cloudy skies, with some light, inconsequential showers around.  

Sunday will bring more sun, though it won't necessarily be crystal clear out there.  The chances of showers diminish, but sprinkles are still possible over the northern mountains. The pick of the Labor Day weekend is Monday. It'll start cool, but under sunshine, temperatures should manage to get well into the 70s. Maybe even 80 degrees in the warmest, sunniest valleys. 

The drought will certainly continue. Most of next week looks dry and warm, with low humidity. Our next shot at any rain after tomorrow's cold front will be next Thursday night or Friday. It's still too soon to say whether that late week rain will amount to much.