North/South Split In Spring Weather Is HUGE In Vermont This Year

Got another small section of the gardens cleaned up
yesterday before it rained. Although we'll have
frequent chances of showers over the next week,
especially in northern Vermont, we also should
have dry, balmy periods to enjoy the outdoors, too.

 Yesterday was another one of those extreme days in which northern Vermont wasn't all that warm while southern parts of the state basked in near-summer warmth. We've had several of those kinds of days already this spring. 

At 4 p.m. Friday, for example, it was a balmy 76 degrees in Bennington, but a relatively chilly 53 in Highgate and 54 degrees in Newport, both near the Canadian border. In the middle of the state, it was in the decent 60s. 

It's almost always warmer in southern Vermont valleys than in the far reaches of the Northeast Kingdom, of course. But in the spring, that temperature range can get pretty extreme. 

This has already happened a few times in Vermont this spring. For instance, at 1 p.m. on March 11, its was simultaneously 36 degrees in Highgate and 63 degrees in Bennington. On March 31, afternoon temperatures were in the 30s in Burlington and flirting with 70 in Bennington. It's almost as if two seasons are an easy drive apart. 

Some of this has to do with the nature of spring cold fronts. 

 Usually, cold fronts come in from the west. But in the spring, we are more likely to have some occasional "back door" cold front as well. Those "back door" fronts come in from the north or even northeast. They tend to move slowly, and often stall out. The stalls for some reason often happen somewhere near the Canadian border,

In some years, spring comes a lot sooner and a lot more completely in places like Bennington and Brattleboro than in up by the Canadian border in little towns like Alburgh, Richford and Derby Line. 

Spring is hitting the whole state, of course. So don't worry. Even if you can see Canada from your house, or if you're actually in Canada, spring is developing. Even if it's a little more grudgingly than further south. 

Next week,  it looks like we might  have more of those extreme temperatures ranges in Vermont and the rest of New England as a front drapes itself somewhere near the Canadian border. The details are hard to pin down this far in advance, but we'll try to give you an idea in the details below:

TODAY/TOMORROW

The front that kept extreme northern Vermont fairly chilly swept through the rest of the state in the late afternoon and evening Friday, dropping temperatures rapidly. Rutland, for instance, went from 70 degrees to 56 degrees within an hour last evening. 

With the front gone, temperatures will be relatively even across the state today. With brisk northerly winds, highs will only make it into the 40s to maybe a couple low 50s south. 

After a frosty start to the day, Sunday should feature increasing clouds with highs in the 50s. Sunday might be the last day for awhile in which the entire state is pretty much having the same kind of weather 

THE (NEARLY) STALLED FRONT

A slug of rain should come through Sunday night and part of Monday. As has been the case lately, the north will get more rain than the south. Current guesses give places near the Canadian border about two thirds of an inch of rain. That'll gradually taper down as you head south, so Bennington and Windham counties will only get a tenth of an inch of rain.

The front we're talking about will then spend much of next week wavering near the Canadian border. Little ripples of low pressure will run roughly west to east along it, giving us an ever-present chance of showers. But it won't rain all the time.  

If the front dips to the south of the Canadian border, northern Vermont would get chilly, at least at times. If it stays north, all of us will see almost summery weather. That means the air would feel kind of humid, and temperatures during the day would get into the 70s. Maybe near 80 if the sun breaks through enough. Nights would stay in the 50s.

Wednesday and Thursday are the most likely days in which the weather will be summery. If this balmy, humid weather actually happens, you'll see spring advance incredibly fast. You'd better get your lawn mower serviced for the season now if not sooner. 

Since the front will stay hung up near the Canadian border, rain is most likely up there during the week. which leads me to another concern. The U.S. Drought Monitor says southern Vermont is still abnormally dry.  To recover from the lingering effects of last year's drought, now is the time you want a lot of rain. 

Southern Vermont might miss out. Forecasts can change but as of this morning, at least 1.25 inches of rain could fall north of Route 2 over the next week. But less than a quarter inch is forecast in the far south of the state.

We all like sunshine and warm temperatures, but you know what they say about those April showers. We need 'em!