Vermont, 1997

Cold in Vermont, January 17, 1997

January 17, 1997 · NWS BTV · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

An outbreak of arctic air resulted in extreme wind chills across much of Vermont. These wind chills frequently ranged from between 30 and 60 below zero.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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.

An outbreak of arctic air resulted in extreme wind chills across much of Vermont. These wind chills frequently ranged from between 30 and 60 below zero.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Grand Isle

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Grand Isle forecast zone
Coordinates
44.797, -73.295 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Western Franklin

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Western Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates
44.858, -72.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Orleans

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Orleans forecast zone
Coordinates
44.829, -72.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Essex

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Essex forecast zone
Coordinates
44.728, -71.736 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Western Chittenden

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Western Chittenden forecast zone
Coordinates
44.461, -73.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Lamoille

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Lamoille forecast zone
Coordinates
44.606, -72.641 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Caledonia

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Caledonia forecast zone
Coordinates
44.465, -72.102 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Washington

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Coordinates
44.273, -72.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Western Addison

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Western Addison forecast zone
Coordinates
44.031, -73.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Orange

When
January 17, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Orange forecast zone
Coordinates
44.006, -72.377 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Vermont in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Vermont, January 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: 5601109, 5601110, 5601111, 5601112, 5601113, 5601114, 5601115, 5601116, 5601117, 5601118.