Good day to you, my neighbors to the north! It will feel and look more like early winter than the middle of autumn this week and into the weekend, of that I am certain.
We've got a brutally cold Wednesday on tap with strong wind and the coldest air of the new cold season on the way. Thursday is cold and sunny as well, but clouds will be increasing late in the day.
Then we have snow, sleet, and freezing rain to contend with Thursday night and into the day on Friday before another cold weekend arrives. Get the winter clothing out, and bundle up my friends!
On Wednesday, cold air will rush into the region. This is Arctic air, and it will be delivered with gusto as northwest winds gust 30 to 40 mph at times with highs in the mid 20s to low 30s!
Even though it will be sunny, these temperatures will combine with wind gusts to produce wind chill readings down into the high single digits and low teens! Winds will slacken a bit at night, but it will still be breezy as lows plummet into the high single digits in the mountains and the teens in the lowlands.
For Thursday, we will see mostly sunny skies until afternoon, when clouds will build from the south and southwest. Highs will be in the low to mid 30s with light winds. At night, clouds will thicken ahead of an incoming winter storm that will bring a good front-end thump of snow for southern Vermont. Lows will be in the 20s. Give yourself extra time for night time travel.
For Friday, I expect that at least Winter Weather Advisories will be posted by the National Weather Service. We should see periods of snow, with sleet and freezing rain mixing in.
I am concerned that the lowlands of Windham County will see somewhere between 1-4 inches of snowfall, and then change to sleet and freezing rain, which could cause icy travel hazards across the county.
We could see a change to plain rain in some areas, but some elevated and sheltered valleys could continue to ice for a time. Precipitation will end by early afternoon. Highs will be in the low to upper 30s, with lows in the upper 20s to low 30s, with black ice formation possible.
This weekend looks fair and cold, with gusty winds behind our departing winter storm, partly sunny skies, and highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s. Some snow showers are possible by early Monday morning as a Clipper system whips by the region to our north.
Early next week looks partly sunny and chilly at the moment.
Have a great week!