High Wind in Vermont, February 22, 1997

Name: High Wind in Vermont, February 22, 1997
Start: 1997-02-22T10:00
End: 1997-02-22T16:00
Location: Vermont

February 22, 1997 · NWS BTV · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

The associated strong cold front moved across the area during the afternoon. Strong gusty winds accompanied and followed the front with some trees and power lines blown down.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $80,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BTV wrote it up.

A storm system developed over the Missouri Valley region Friday (2/21/97) and moved northeast through the eastern Great Lakes region early Saturday (2/22/97) and then across northern New England later Saturday (2/22/97).The associated strong cold front moved across the area during the afternoon. Strong gusty winds accompanied and followed the front with some trees and power lines blown down. The most concentrated reports of trees and wires down due to strong winds were concentrated in Middlebury (Addison County), Ludlow (Windsor County), St. Johnsbury (Caledonia County) and Derby (Orleans County).A severe thunderstorm accompanied the front across Addison County with associated wind damage to a shed and small hail reported around 1230 pm est.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Orleans

When: February 22, 10:00 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Orleans forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 44.829, -72.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Chittenden

When: February 22, 10:00 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Western Chittenden forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 44.461, -73.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Addison

When: February 22, 10:00 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Western Addison forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 44.031, -73.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Caledonia

When: February 22, 12:00 PM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Caledonia forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 44.465, -72.102 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Washington

When: February 22, 1:00 PM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 44.273, -72.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Windsor

When: February 22, 2:00 PM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Windsor forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $10,000

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Vermont in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Vermont, February 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5602961, 5602962, 5602965, 5602963, 5602964, 5602966.