A strong storm system moved across the northern Great Lakes on April 16th and 17th with an associated occluded front that slowly moved east across New York into Vermont. Meanwhile, a very strong area of high pressure was located across New Brunswick.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS BTV wrote it up.
A strong storm system moved across the northern Great Lakes on April 16th and 17th with an associated occluded front that slowly moved east across New York into Vermont. Meanwhile, a very strong area of high pressure was located across New Brunswick.
The large pressure gradient (> 40mb) between both systems resulted in strong south to southeast winds in a return flow across the Green Mountains of Vermont that produced strong to damaging downslope winds along the western slopes during the late evening of April 16th into the early morning hours of April 17th.
There were numerous reports of trees downed by high winds, with wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, that resulted in nearly 10,000 customers without power from the foothills in eastern Rutland county north to eastern Franklin county along the Canadian border.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Burlington, VT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 16, 5:42 PM EST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
642 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011
.SYNOPSIS...
A LOW PRESSURE AREA OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES WILL LIFT SLOWLY
NORTHEAST INTO CANADA OVERNIGHT. A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW
WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION OVERNIGHT...BRINGING RAIN TO THE REGION.
COOLER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION ON SUNDAY ALONG WITH RAIN
SHOWERS...WITH SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. THE REGION
WILL REMAIN UNDER CYCLONIC FLOW THROUGH MONDAY. A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/...
AS OF 633 PM EDT SATURDAY...UPDATED PRODUCTS SENT OUT TO INCLUDE
MENTION OF SOME SNOW FOR PORTIONS OF VERMONT THIS EVENING. WITH
LOW LEVEL DRY AIR IN PLACE...AREA OF PRECIPITATION WHICH MOVED
INTO CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VERMONT WAS ABLE TO COOL COLUMN
SUFFICIENTLY TO ALLOW FOR SOME SNOW. AS EVENING PROGRESSES...LOW
LEVELS WILL WARM AND MOISTEN ENOUGH TO CHANGE ANY SNOW OVER TO
RAIN...BUT THERE MAY BE SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS OVER HIGHER
TERRAIN BEFORE THIS OCCURS. ADJUSTED TEMPS TO REFLECT LATEST OBS
AND NEAR TERM GUIDANCE. WIND FORECASTS FOR TONIGHT LOOK GOOD
INCLUDING ADVISORIES/WARNINGS IN EFFECT.
DISCUSSION FROM 437 PM EDT...
RAIN HAS BEEN SLOW TO MOVE INTO VERMONT AT THIS TIME AS DEW POINTS
STILL REMAIN QUITE LOW...AND WILL NEED SOME TIME TO SATURATE THE
LOWER PORTION OF THE ATMOSPHERE. DEW POINTS HAVE ALREADY CLIMBED
INTO THE 30S ACROSS THE SAINT LAWRENCE VALLEY AT THIS TIME...WHERE
THERE IS SOME LIGHT RAIN. TIGHT SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BE
OVER THE REGION OVERNIGHT...AND THEN DIMINISH BY SUNDAY MORNING.
HAVE KEPT UP THE HIGH WIND WARNING AND WIND ADVISORIES IN PLACE AT
THIS TIME. HOWEVER...HAVE EXTENDED THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE
ADIRONDACKS UNTIL EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY
WINDS WILL HELP TO KEEP TEMPERATURES UP OVERNIGHT.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 437 PM EDT SATURDAY...EXPECTING RAIN TO WIND DOWN TO
SCATTERED SHOWERS BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. GUIDANCE SHOWING COLDER AIR
ALOFT TO MOVE INTO THE REGION BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON...WITH BUFKIT
FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOWING STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES TO DEVELOP
BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. WET BULB ZERO VALUES AREA AROUND 1000-1500
FEET SUNDAY AFTERNOON. WOULD NOT BE TOTALLY SURPRISED TO SEE SOME
SMALL HAIL WITH ANY SHOWERS SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE
OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE ADIRONDACKS AND GREEN MOUNTAINS.
SUNDAY NIGHT...EXPECTING SNOW LEVELS TO GRADUALLY COME TO THE
SURFACE ACROSS THE REGION BY LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...SO HAVE GONE WITH
A CHANCE OR SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SNOW SHOWERS SUNDAY NIGHT.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AS OF 334 PM EDT SATURDAY...FAIRLY QUIET TO START THE EXTENDED
PERIOD WITH MAYBE A FEW LINGERING RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS AROUND MONDAY
WITH THE UPPER TROUGH EXITING THE REGION. BY MONDAY NIGHT A WEAK
AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA KEEPING THINGS DRY
THROUGH MOST OF TUESDAY NIGHT. TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
THURSDAY...LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK OUT OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION
NORTHEAST THROUGH QUEBEC. MODELS ARE A BIT BULLISH WITH THE
NORTHERN PUSH OF THE ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT AND SUBSEQUENT WARM
AIR ADVECTION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...TRACKING THE LOW
FAR NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. BASED ON PREVIOUS HISTORY WITH A
VERY SIMILAR SYSTEM LAST WEEKEND...AM A LITTLE WEARY OF THESE
SOLUTIONS SO HAVE TAILORED BACK TEMPS TOWARDS NORMAL FOR THE
PERIOD. RAIN MOVES INTO THE REGION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...LASTING
THROUGH MOST OF THE NIGHT...WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE OCCURRING
THURSDAY MORNING. PRECIP AMOUNTS NOT MUCH OF A CONCERN WITH THIS
SYSTEM AT THIS TIME...BUT WINDS MAY BE AN ISSUE...WITH STRONG
SOUTH/SOUTHEASTERIES POSSIBLE ON THE FRONT-SIDE WEDNESDAY...AND
NORTHWESTERLIES POST COLD FRONT PASSAGE ON THURSDAY. SOME
LINGERING RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY THURSDAY...BEFORE HIGH
PRESSURE RETURNS TO THE REGION FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT.
ANOTHER LOW MOVING OUT OF THE GREAT LAKES INTO SOUTHERN CANADA
WITH BRING ANOTHER THREAT FOR STRONG WINDS AND RAIN ON SATURDAY.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY...MAIN AVIATION CONCERN OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS
WILL BE LOWERING CIGS TO MVFR AND GUSTY WINDS. LOW PRESSURE MOVING
INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL SPREAD GUSTY WINDS AND PRECIP
ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PRECIP STARTING TO
MOVE INTO WESTERN NEW YORK AT THIS TIME...AND SHOULD SLOWLY FILL
IN THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS ACROSS THE REST OF THE AREA. LOOK FOR
HEAVIEST PRECIP AND ASSOCIATED LOWERING CIGS TO MVFR AFTER
00Z...AND THROUGH ABOUT 09-12Z AREA-WIDE. THEREAFTER...COLD FRONT
WILL PUSH INTO THE REGION ENDING MOST OF THE PRECIP. AS FOR
WINDS...SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON WITH MOST LOCATIONS GUSTING INTO THE 20-30KT RANGE.
STRONGEST GUSTS ARE LIKELY AT KRUT...POSSIBLY UP TO 40-50KTS
OVERNIGHT. EXCEPTION ON THE WINDS WILL BE KMSS WHERE LIGHTER
NORTHEAST TO EASTERLY WINDS WILL PERSIST UNTIL 12Z. AFTER 12Z
BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST/SOUTHWEST AND
WILL BECOME GUSTY ONCE AGAIN. THIS TIME THE STRONGEST GUST
POTENTIAL WILL BE ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK AT KMSS/KSLK...POSSIBLY
UP TO 40 KTS...WITH LESSER GUSTS IN THE 20-30KT RANGE ELSEWHERE.
OUTLOOK 18Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...
12Z SUNDAY THROUGH 12Z MONDAY...MAINLY VFR WITH SCATTERED MVFR
RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS.
CONTINUED GUSTY WEST/SOUTHWEST WINDS.
12Z MONDAY THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY...VFR UNDER HIGH PRESSURE.
06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...MVFR RAIN SHOWERS POSSIBLE AS LOW
PRESSURE TRACKS WARM/COLD FRONTS THROUGH THE REGION. GUSTY WINDS
POSSIBLE AS WELL.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
AS OF 334 PM EDT SATURDAY...LAKE CHAMPLAIN CONTINUES TO BE IN
FLOOD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY SOUTH TO
SOUTHEAST WINDS...PRODUCING SWELLS BETWEEN 3 AND 5 FEET...AND THE
LATEST LAKE STAGE AROUND 100.74 FEET WILL PRODUCE ADDITIONAL
SPLASH OVER AND LOCAL RISES IN SOUTH FACING EXPOSED INLETS AND
BAYS...WHICH COULD ENHANCE LOCALIZED FLOODING. LOW PRESSURE
MOVING OUT OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION INTO SOUTHERN CANADA WILL
PRODUCE A MODERATE RAIN EVENT ACROSS THE AREA...WITH RAINFALL
AMOUNTS RANGING FROM 0.75" TO 1.25" ACROSS THE REGION. THESE
AMOUNTS WILL ONCE AGAIN INCREASE RIVER LEVELS WITH THE POTENTIAL
FOR SOME RIVERS TO APPROACH FLOOD STAGE BY SUNDAY. THE GREATEST
THREATS WILL BE THE OTTER CREEK...MAD RIVER...DOG RIVER...AND
AUSABLE RIVER. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR POTENTIAL HYDRO STATEMENTS
OVER THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND.
&&
.BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VT...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR VTZ006-011-016>019.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR VTZ002-005-009.
NY...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR NYZ029>031.
&&
SYNOPSIS...WGH
NEAR TERM...WGH/RJS
SHORT TERM...WGH
LONG TERM...LAHIFF
AVIATION...LAHIFF
HYDROLOGY...HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT 448 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011 NYZ026>028-034-035-087-VTZ001-003-004-007-008-010-012-172100- NORTHERN ST. LAWRENCE-NORTHERN FRANKLIN-EASTERN CLINTON- WESTERN ESSEX-EASTERN ESSEX-SOUTHWESTERN ST. LAWRENCE-GRAND ISLE- ORLEANS-ESSEX-CALEDONIA-WASHINGTON-ORANGE-WINDSOR- 448 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK...CENTRAL VERMONT...NORTHEAST VERMONT...NORTHWEST VERMONT AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VTZ006-011-016>019-172100- LAMOILLE-WESTERN RUTLAND-EASTERN FRANKLIN-EASTERN CHITTENDEN- EASTERN ADDISON-EASTERN RUTLAND- 448 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VERMONT...NORTHWEST VERMONT AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NYZ029>031-172100- SOUTHEASTERN ST. LAWRENCE-SOUTHERN FRANKLIN-WESTERN CLINTON- 448 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VTZ002-005-009-172100- WESTERN FRANKLIN-WESTERN CHITTENDEN-WESTERN ADDISON- 448 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VERMONT AND NORTHWEST VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 strong wind, 5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A measured wind gusts of 51 mph occurred at Rutland airport in East Clarendon, where no damage occurred, but there were damage reports of trees down and power outages elsewhere with wind gusts estimated in excess of 58 mph.
Several reports of trees downed by high winds that resulted in power outages.
A measured wind gust of 59 mph was observed at NWS employee house in Nashville. There were numerous reports of trees downed and thousands of customers without power.
Several reports of trees down and scattered power outages along elevated hillsides within the county.
Several reports of trees down and scattered power outages along elevated hillsides within the county.
Several reports of trees down and scattered power outages along elevated hillsides within the county.
Several reports of trees down and scattered power outages along elevated hillsides within the county.
Several reports of trees down and scattered power outages along elevated hillsides within the county.
Several reports of trees down and scattered power outages along elevated hillsides within the county.
Numerous reports of trees downed by high winds in eastern Franklin county, especially in the Bakersfield vicinity.
Numerous reports of trees downed by high winds in Lamoille county, especially in the Cambridge/Jefferson vicinity with measured wind reports of 77 mph in Cambridge and 71 mph in Jeffersonville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Vermont in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Vermont, April 2011
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: 284934, 284935, 284936, 284939, 284940, 284941, 284942, 284943, 284944, 284937, 284938.