A rapidly intensifying area of low pressure moved from the eastern Great Lakes across Quebec province Canada during the afternoon and evening hours of September 8th. A tight pressure gradient created strong surface southerly winds of 20 to 30 mph with frequent gusts in excess of 40 mph across the region.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 rapidly intensifying area of low pressure moved from the eastern Great Lakes across Quebec province Canada during the afternoon and evening hours of September 8th. A tight pressure gradient created strong surface southerly winds of 20 to 30 mph with frequent gusts in excess of 40 mph across the region. In addition these strong winds delivered an abnormally warm and unstable air mass ahead of the surface low and cold front. As the cold front moved across New York during the afternoon, a squall line of severe thunderstorms developed and pushed east into Vermont.
There was isolated minor wind damage in the form of large tree branches or small trees prior to any thunderstorms. Wind damage associated with thunderstorms was more widespread and significant.
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 Sep 8, 2:53 PM EST, 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
353 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012
.SYNOPSIS...
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT
AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG WITH BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. DRIER AND COOLER
WEATHER WILL RETURN TO THE NORTH COUNTRY BEHIND THE FRONT FOR
SUNDAY...WITH AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF DRY AND PLEASANT WEATHER
EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/...
AS OF 332 PM EDT SATURDAY...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ACROSS
ALL OF NORTHERN NEW YORK AND VERMONT UNTIL 10 PM. A WIND ADVISORY
IS ALSO IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM.
MAIN SQUALL LINE ASSOCIATED WITH COLD FRONT NOW PUSHING EASTWARD
ACROSS THE ADIRONDACKS AND WILL ENTER THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY AROUND
4 PM...AND PROGRESS EASTWARD ACROSS VERMONT THROUGH 9 PM. CAPE
CONTINUES TO BE AROUND 1000 J/KG AND THIS COMBINED WITH LARGELY
UNI- DIRECTIONAL 0-6KM WIND SHEAR OF 50 KNOTS WILL CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT DAMAGING WINDS AS THE GREATEST THREAT. HAVE OBSERVED A FEW
WEAK ROTATING COUPLETS ALONG LINE...THUS POTENTIAL FOR A FEW WEAK
TORNADO SPIN- UPS ARE STILL POSSIBLE.
IN ADDITION...SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF COLD FRONT THAT HAVE BEEN
AFFECTING THE REGION ALL DAY TODAY WILL CONTINUE WITH WIND GUSTS
UP TO 40-50 MPH.
AFTERWARD...SOME PARTIAL CLEARING IS EXPECTED BUT PARTLY-MOSTLY
CLOUDY SKIES WILL BE THE RULE. WITH TODAY'S RAIN...SOME AREAS OF
FOG LIKELY...BUT CLOUDS AND REMAINING WIND FIELD SHOULD LIMIT
OVERALL COVERAGE. LOOKING AT LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S TO NEAR 50
ACROSS NEW YORK AND GENERALLY MID 50S IN VERMONT.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY/...
AS OF 332 PM EDT SATURDAY...A GENERALLY PARTLY CLOUDY DAY IS
EXPECTED ON SUNDAY WITH LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS. UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
STILL OVERHEAD SO KEPT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF A SHOWER IN THE
FORECAST...ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. WILL FEEL MUCH COOLER
WITH HIGHS GENERALLY UPPER 60S TO LOW 70S.
THE NORTH COUNTRY WILL LIE ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF LARGE REGION OF
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING EASTWARD ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SUNDAY NIGHT AND
MONDAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND PLEASANTLY DRY
AND SEASONABLE CONDITIONS...AND LIGHT NORTH WINDS FOR THE DAYLIGHT
HOURS MONDAY. LOW TEMPERATURES GENERALLY IN THE MID 40S FOR SUNDAY
NIGHT...WITH A FEW READINGS IN THE 30S FOR THE NORMALLY COOLER
LOCATIONS IN THE NR ADIRONDACKS AND FAR NERN VT. MAY SEE SOME
PATCHY FOG IN THE NORMALLY PRONE RIVER VALLEYS. HIGH TEMPERATURES
ON MONDAY WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE MID-UPR 60S DESPITE NEARLY FULL
SUNSHINE. DAYTIME WINDS MONDAY GENERALLY NW AROUND 10 MPH...WITH A
FEW GUSTS TO 20 MPH DURING THE AFTN.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AS OF 347 AM EDT SATURDAY...QUIET WEATHER PATTERN FOR THE
EXTENDED PERIOD...INTERRUPTED ONLY BY A WEAK FRONT SAGGING SOUTH
OUT OF CANADA LATE IN THE PERIOD.
HIGH PRESSURE FIRMLY ENTRENCHED AT SURFACE AND ALOFT THROUGH FIRST
FEW DAYS OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. VERY GOOD RADIATIONAL CONDITIONS
WITH LOW RH THROUGH THE COLUMN FOR CLEAR SKIES...AND RIDGE OF HIGH
PRESSURE PRODUCING LIGHT WINDS. FROM MID WEEK ONWARD...RIDGE
SLOWLY MOVES EAST AND WILL SEE A SLOW WARMING TREND. TOWARD THE
END OF THE WEEK A COLD FRONT MOVES IN FROM THE NORTHWEST...HOWEVER
VERY LITTLE MOISTURE TO WORK WITH. POPS COME UP TO CHANCE CATEGORY
ALONG THE CANADIAN BORDER...TAPERING OFF TO THE SOUTH.
&&
.AVIATION /20Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY...
GUSTY SOUTH WINDS AND TURBULENCE EXPECTED 18Z SAT THROUGH 00Z
SUNDAY...
SQUALL LINE/SVR WINDS POSSIBLE 18Z THROUGH 02Z SAT/SUN...
VRB CONDS THROUGH 02Z AS STRONG SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS AFFECT THE
REGION AND STRONG COLD FRONT WITH ASSOC PRE-FRONTAL SQUALL LINE PUSHES
THROUGH. SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS SUSTAINED 15-25 KT WITH GUSTS 35 TO
45 KT POSSIBLE AHEAD OF THE CONVECTIVE LINE. MODERATE TO STRONG
LOW LEVEL TURBULENCE LIKELY. SEVERE WINDS LOCALLY TO 50+ KTS
WESTERLY ALONG THE CONVECTIVE LINE FROM 18Z-02Z. BEHIND FRONTAL
PASSG A PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS POSSBL AS WINDS BACK TO
SOUTHWESTERLY...THEN WESTERLY OVERNIGHT AND ABATE. NO PCPN
EXPECTED AFTER 06Z. AFTER 12Z WINDS LIGHT WEST TO WEST-
NORTHWESTERLY AS SKIES TREND SCT VFR WITH CIGS GENERALLY IN THE
FL040-060 RANGE.
OUTLOOK 18Z SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
18Z SUNDAY THROUGH 00Z MONDAY...MVFR TO VFR CIGS IN LINGERING LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE.
00Z MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...VFR CLEAR EXCEPT
NOCTURNAL IFR TO LIFR MAINLY IN USUAL FOG PRONE LOCATIONS
KSLK/KMPV BUT OTHER SITES IFR POSSIBLE.
&&
.MARINE...
SIGNIFICANT WINDS AND WAVES EXPECTED ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN ON SATURDAY
AND SATURDAY EVENING. SOUTH WINDS HAVE ALREADY EXCEEDED LAKE WIND
ADVISORY CRITERIA THIS MORNING /IN THE 25 TO 35 KNOT RANGE/.
SUSTAINED SOUTH WINDS OF 25 TO 40 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH POSSIBLE HIGHER GUSTS. WINDS WILL
BECOME SOUTHWEST AND TAPER OFF TO 10 TO 20 KNOTS AFTER MIDNIGHT
SATURDAY NIGHT.
WAVES OF 4 TO 6 FEET ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...THOUGH WAVES WILL GRADUALLY LESSEN AFTER MIDNIGHT
SATURDAY NIGHT TO 1 TO 3 FEET.
A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
IS ALSO EXPECTED SATURDAY EVENING WITH POTENTIALLY STRONGER WINDS
AND HIGHER WAVES.
&&
.BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VT...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR VTZ001>012-
016>019.
NY...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NYZ026>031-034-
035-087.
&&
SYNOPSIS...BANACOS/MUCCILLI
NEAR TERM...MUCCILLI
SHORT TERM...MUCCILLI
LONG TERM...HANSON
AVIATION...JMG/HANSON
MARINE...HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT 340 AM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 NYZ026>031-034-035-087-VTZ001>012-016>019-090745- NORTHERN ST. LAWRENCE-NORTHERN FRANKLIN-EASTERN CLINTON- SOUTHEASTERN ST. LAWRENCE-SOUTHERN FRANKLIN-WESTERN CLINTON- WESTERN ESSEX-EASTERN ESSEX-SOUTHWESTERN ST. LAWRENCE-GRAND ISLE- WESTERN FRANKLIN-ORLEANS-ESSEX-WESTERN CHITTENDEN-LAMOILLE-CALEDONIA- WASHINGTON-WESTERN ADDISON-ORANGE-WESTERN RUTLAND-WINDSOR- EASTERN FRANKLIN-EASTERN CHITTENDEN-EASTERN ADDISON-EASTERN RUTLAND- 340 AM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK...CENTRAL VERMONT...NORTHEAST VERMONT...NORTHWEST VERMONT AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE WEST WILL BE PRECEDED BY STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY EVENING. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED...WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. ADDITIONALLY...THERE IS INCREASING CONFIDENCE THAT A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT AS IT SWEEPS ACROSS THE REGION LATER SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE STRONG TO DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE GENERAL TIME FRAME OF 4 PM TO 9 PM SATURDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. BANACOS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
233 PM EDT SAT SEP 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0119 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CANTON 44.60N 75.17W
09/08/2012 ST. LAWRENCE NY PUBLIC
TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN
&&
EVENT NUMBER BTV1200385
MABPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
234 PM EDT SAT SEP 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0119 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LAKE PLACID 44.28N 73.98W
09/08/2012 ESSEX NY EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN
&&
EVENT NUMBER BTV1200386
MABPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
237 PM EDT SAT SEP 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0200 PM TSTM WND GST OGDENSBURG 44.69N 75.49W
09/08/2012 M59 MPH ST. LAWRENCE NY TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREE DOWN ACROSS ROAD AND POWERLINES DOWN AS WELL
&&
EVENT NUMBER BTV1200387
MABPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
416 PM EDT SAT SEP 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0320 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NE SOUTH BURLINGTON 44.48N 73.15W
09/08/2012 CHITTENDEN VT PUBLIC
TREE DOWN ON MOUNTAINVIEW BLVD
&&
EVENT NUMBER BTV1200388
MUCCILLIThe Burlington radar (KCXX), 64 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:27 UTC.
22 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees down along Plain road and neighboring roads.
Several trees and wires down.
Twelve inch diameter tree as well as other trees and limbs blown down along the shores of Malletts Bay.
Trees and wires down on Foote street and neighboring roads, including Routes 7, 116 and 125.
Numerous trees and power lines down across Fairfax and neighboring locales.
Numerous trees and wires down, as well as structural damage throughout Swanton, especially southern side and along Routes 7, 207 and 105.
Several trees blown down.
Multiple trees and wires down with light structural damage and damage to vehicles due to fallen trees.
Power lines and trees down in Sheldon and along Route 105.
Tree and power lines down on Bolton Notch road.
Several trees downed by thunderstorm winds.
Several trees downon power lines along Route 100 in Waitsfield near Small Dog Electronics.
Numerous trees and power lines down by thunderstorm winds.
Numerous trees down on houses, camps and vehicles in Wallingford and Clarendon.
Route 12 closed due to downed trees and power lines.
Trees and limbs down along Route 14.
Several trees and power lines down.
Numerous trees and power lines down.
Large tree and several smaller trees downed by thunderstorm winds.
Several trees down along Route 5 in Springfield.
Trees down along Industrial parkway and several locations, including St. Johnsbury Country Club.
Several trees down on Welsh and neighboring streets.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Vermont in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Vermont, September 2012
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: 399781, 399783, 399782, 399780, 399776, 399778, 399784, 399785, 399787, 399788, 399789, 399790, 399791, 399792, 399793, 399794, 399795, 399796, 399800, 399797, 399799, 399798.