Good day to you, sweet southern Vermonters! We've got dynamic changes on the way in the Weather Department, some of which may result in strong impacts to be sure.
We've got a couple of days of increasingly mild and fair weather to enjoy through Thursday. Clouds then increase Thursday night, with an initial period of mixed snow, sleet, and freezing rain that arrives around or after midnight. Any icing will quickly turn to heavy rain by Friday morning and it will rain heavily at times, with very mild temperatures.
Heavy rain and snow melt may cause flooding along the Deerfield, West and Saxtons rivers and other smaller streams. Snow showers move in for Saturday, with colder and fair weather Sunday through Christmas Day with a low chance for light snow Christmas Eve. With that said, let's jump into the dailies!
For Wednesday, high pressure will be tracking southeast into the Mid-Atlantic states and provide fair weather. Expect mostly sunny skies with highs in the low to mid 30s and lows in the 20s.
For Thursday, a southwesterly flow develops and will push highs into the upper 30s to low 40s under mostly sunny skies. Clouds develop in the evening with lows in the low to mid 30s with showers of mixed precipitation arriving around or after midnight.
For Friday, high pressure strengthens out over the western Atlantic Ocean and forces very strong low pressure to develop and track right up the spine of the Appalachian Mountains. This will push a plume of abundant moisture, heavy rain, and even a few thunderstorms into southern Vermont on Friday and Friday night.
One to three inches of rain is expected, and highs should reach the upper 40s to low 50s with lows in the low 40s. Southerly winds will gust 35-50 mph at times.
Given highs should remain in the low to mid 40s on Saturday, expected snow melt and runoff could set the stage for not only street flooding, but river flooding as well. Rain showers should turn to snow showers in the wake of the departing storm Saturday afternoon into the evening with lows in the 20s.
For Sunday through Tuesday, highs should be in the low to mid 30s with fair weather, save for the potential of an Alberta Clipper system bringing light snow on Christmas Eve. Have a great week!