On the afternoon and evening of May 21st, a stationary boundary was draped across northern New York into northern Vermont. There was enough low-level instability, as well as disturbances along this boundary to produce thunderstorms during the evening hours in New York with some of these thunderstorms moving into Vermont.
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.
On the afternoon and evening of May 21st, a stationary boundary was draped across northern New York into northern Vermont. There was enough low-level instability, as well as disturbances along this boundary to produce thunderstorms during the evening hours in New York with some of these thunderstorms moving into Vermont. One such thunderstorm complex produced isolated wind damage in eastern Chittenden county.
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 May 21, 7:38 PM EST, 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT 838 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013 .SYNOPSIS... AN ACTIVE PERIOD OF WEATHER IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY THROUGH THURSDAY. A FRONT SETTLES SOUTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON...WITH ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS GENERALLY FOCUSED ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL VERMONT. THE BOUNDARY WILL SHIFT BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THE ASSOCIATED WARM AND MOIST AIR MASS FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WILL BRING ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOON. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL BRING OVER AN INCH OF RAIN TO MOST SECTIONS OF THE NORTH COUNTRY OVER THE NEXT 48 TO 72 HOURS. TEMPERATURES WILL GENERALLY BE ABOVE NORMAL OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. A COOLER AND DRIER AIR MASS IS EXPECTED TO RETURN FOR THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 8 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 803 PM EDT TUESDAY...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HISTORY OF SEVERE MOVING RAPIDLY ACROSS CHAMPLAIN VALLEY AT THIS TIME. STRONG STRONG TO SEVERE DESPITE LACK OF SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY. THIS LINE WILL MOVE ACROSS VERMONT THIS EVENING A BREAK IN SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS WILL THEN FOLLOW FOLLOWED BY MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS WITH CHANCE OF THUNDER OVERNIGHT AS WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH ACROSS THE REGION. SOME ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO EARLY THIS EVENING TO REFLECT LATEST TRENDS...BUT OVERNIGHT PORTION OF FORECAST ON TRACK. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... 700MB SHORTWAVE RIDGE FLATTENS/SHIFTS EAST OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT. IT APPEARS ANOTHER WEAK WAVE LOW WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONTAL ZONE ACROSS THE NRN GREAT LAKES ALLOWING FOR ANOTHER SURGE OF S-SW FLOW AT 850MB ACROSS FRONTAL ZONE. OVERALL EVOLUTION SUGGESTS INCREASE IN ISENTROPIC ASCENT WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND A FEW ELEVATED TSTMS...ESPECIALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. HAVE INDICATED MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY CONDITIONS....AND THE SOUTH WINDS AND CLOUDS WILL KEEP TEMPS ON THE MILD SIDE...GENERALLY UPR 50S TO AROUND 60. MAINTAINED SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTM MENTION IN THE FORECAST GRIDS. && .SHORT TERM /8 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 415 PM EDT TUESDAY...NORTH COUNTRY GENERALLY IN THE WARM SECTOR ON WEDNESDAY AS FRONTAL ZONE RETREATS BACK NORTH OF THE INTL BORDER. DIFFICULT TO SEE MUCH IN THE WAY OF LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE...AND MID-LEVEL FLOW HAS SLIGHT ANTICYCLONIC CURVATURE. PBL DEWPOINTS DO INCREASE INTO THE LOW 60S...AND WITH PARTIAL SUN CONDITIONS SHOULD RESULT IN SBCAPE VALUES AROUND 1000 J/KG. AGAIN...MARGINAL/WEAK FORCING IN PLAY SO WHILE POTENTIAL FOR ORGANIZED STORMS IS LOW...ISOLD TO SCT -TSRA IS POSSIBLE...LIKELY PEAKING WITH DAYTIME HEATING MAX IN THE MID-LATE AFTN HOURS. A FEW STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL WITH LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. VALLEY HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY WILL REACH THE UPR 70S TO AROUND 80. POSITIVE TILTED UPR TROUGH AND COLD FRONTAL ZONE APPROACHES SLOWLY LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THIS SHOULD GENERATE A MORE WIDESPREAD THREAT OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS BY THURSDAY AFTN. DEEP- LAYER SWLY FLOW IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONTAL BNDRY WILL ENSURE MOISTURE/SOME INSTABILITY ON THURSDAY...THOUGH MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL BE RELATIVELY POOR AROUND 6 C/KM. WITH PEAK HEATING...MAY BE SUFFICIENT FOR A SEVERE STORM OR TWO WITH GUSTY WINDS AND MARGINALLY SVR HAIL DURING THURSDAY AFTN...ESPECIALLY CENTRAL/S-CENTRAL VT BASED ON CURRENT INDICATIONS. HIGHS THURSDAY WILL RANGE FROM THE MID-UPR 70S ACROSS VT TO THE UPR 60S TO NEAR 70F IN THE NRN ADIRONDACKS. COLD FRONT WILL FINALLY CROSS THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY NIGHT...THOUGH UPPER LEVEL TROF AND LOW WILL TRAIL BEHIND. SLOW MOVING FLOW CONTINUES AS SURFACE LOW SLOWLY CREEPS EASTWARD AWAY FROM THE REGION. CHANCE FOR SHOWERS FINALLY DECREASES AT THE END OF THE PERIOD THURSDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 225 PM EDT TUESDAY...DEPARTING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL HAVE POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVE OVER THE NORTH COUNTRY ON FRIDAY...KEEPING CHC OF SHOWERS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. LATE FRIDAY IN TO FRIDAY NIGHT...TROUGH LOOKS TO TILT NEUTRAL TO NEGATIVE AS THE SFC LOW PUSHES OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. SFC LOW TRAVERSES NEWD NEAR NEWFOUNDLAND...KEEPING BACK/WRN EDGE OF PRECIP NEAR VT...THEREFORE HAVE KEPT SLGT CHC POPS OVER VT FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH FIRST HALF OF SATURDAY. AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER SW HUDSONS BAY...EXTENDING SWD OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES...A SHORTWAVE ROTATING ABOUT THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER NEW ENGLAND WILL BE FAIRLY DRY BUT BRING CLOUDS FOR THE REST OF SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. ON SUNDAY...SOME TROUGHINESS REMAINING OVER ERN ZONES...WITH CLOUDS OVER MOST OF VT. THE SFC HIGH PRESSURE AND SOME UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL TAKE HOLD OF THE REGION FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD. BELOW NORMAL MAX TEMPS WILL GRADUALLY TREND WARMER THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD WITH MIN TEMPS GENERALLY IN THE 40S. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY...COMPLEX FORECAST AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONTINUES OVER MUCH OF THE AREA ALONG WITH CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND SOME THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD. WARM FRONT SOUTH OF FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING WILL LIFT NORTH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. CIGS LOWERING TO MVFR TONIGHT WITH IFR POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY SLK/MPV/MSS. VSBYS LOWERING TO IFR IN SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING...WITH MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDER OVERNIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON MAY ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY WINDS. OUTLOOK 00Z THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...OCCASIONAL SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. VFR WITH PERIODS OF MVFR/IFR IN HEAVIER SHOWERS. SHOWERS AND MVFR CONDITIONS STILL POSSIBLE FRIDAY BEFORE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN OVER THE WEEKEND WITH MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...BANACOS/NEILES NEAR TERM...RJS/NEILES SHORT TERM...BANACOS/NEILES LONG TERM...KGM AVIATION...RJS/KGM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT 452 AM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013 NYZ026>031-034-035-087-VTZ001>012-016>019-220900- 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- 452 AM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK...CENTRAL VERMONT...NORTHEAST VERMONT...NORTHWEST VERMONT AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABILITY OF PRODUCE BRIEF GUSTY WINDS...LOCALIZED HEAVY DOWNPOURS...AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A SURFACE BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY WILL PRODUCE DAILY ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH FRIDAY. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT WOULD BE GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. IN ADDITION...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS LIKELY...ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
621 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
NYZ034-035-VTZ009-011-212300-
EASTERN ESSEX NY-WESTERN ADDISON VT-WESTERN ESSEX NY-
WESTERN RUTLAND VT-
621 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN ESSEX...
SOUTHWESTERN ADDISON AND WEST CENTRAL RUTLAND COUNTIES...
AT 617 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF
MINERVA...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM. EXPECT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...
SCHROON LAKE...SOUTH SCHROON...PHAROAH MOUNTAIN...NORTH HUDSON...
PHAROAH MOUNTAIN...PARADOX...
GET TO SAFETY IMMEDIATELY WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 4364 7343 4369 7341 4376 7336 4379 7336
4380 7338 4374 7406 4386 7407 4393 7401
4409 7335 4363 7335
KGMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
655 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM TSTM WND DMG CANTON 44.60N 75.17W
05/21/2013 ST. LAWRENCE NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TELEPHONE POLE DOWN ACROSS PINK SCHOOLHOUSE RD AND
TREES AND WIRES DOWN ALONG COUNTY RTE 21
&&
EVENT NUMBER BTV1300032
KGMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
747 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
NYZ028-030-031-034-035-VTZ001-002-005-009-016>018-220045-
EASTERN ADDISON VT-EASTERN CHITTENDEN VT-EASTERN CLINTON NY-
EASTERN ESSEX NY-EASTERN FRANKLIN VT-GRAND ISLE VT-
SOUTHERN FRANKLIN NY-WESTERN ADDISON VT-WESTERN CHITTENDEN VT-
WESTERN CLINTON NY-WESTERN ESSEX NY-WESTERN FRANKLIN VT-
747 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH CHITTENDEN...
CLINTON...ESSEX...GRAND ISLE...NORTHWESTERN ADDISON...SOUTHEASTERN
FRANKLIN AND SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES...
AT 736 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM 3
MILES NORTHWEST OF MERRILL TO 4 MILES SOUTH OF FRANKLIN FALLS TO BLUE
MOUNTAIN LAKE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...
ELLENBURG CENTER...WILMINGTON...UPPER JAY...KEENE VALLEY...
CLINTONVILLE...CADYVILLE...WEST CHAZY...CHAZY...ISLE LA MOTTE...CHAZY
LANDING...BURLINGTON...ESSEX JUNCTION...PANTON...
GET TO SAFETY IMMEDIATELY WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
BOATERS ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOR. STRONG WINDS WILL
CAUSE HIGHER WAVES AND SUDDEN WIND SHIFTS MAY OVERTURN SMALL BOATS.
LAT...LON 4437 7299 4379 7346 4376 7379 4376 7406
4379 7406 4382 7415 4381 7422 4393 7434
4397 7426 4405 7428 4437 7403 4489 7405
4488 7300
LOCONTOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
759 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0640 PM TSTM WND DMG CANTON 44.60N 75.17W
05/21/2013 ST. LAWRENCE NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL POLES DOWN AND OR HANGING...NUMEROUS TREES AND
WIRES DOWN. PARTS OF THE VILLAGE OF CANTON WITHOUT
POWER.
&&
EVENT NUMBER BTV1300033
KGMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT 818 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013 VTZ008>010-012-017-018-220100- EASTERN ADDISON VT-EASTERN CHITTENDEN VT-ORANGE VT-WASHINGTON VT- WESTERN ADDISON VT-WINDSOR VT- 818 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE THROUGH CENTRAL ADDISON... NORTHWESTERN WINDSOR...SOUTHEASTERN CHITTENDEN...SOUTHWESTERN WASHINGTON AND WEST CENTRAL ORANGE COUNTIES... AT 817 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR WEYBRIDGE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO... BROOKSVILLE...MIDDLEBURY...NEW HAVEN MILLS...BRISTOL...SOUTH LINCOLN...LINCOLN...WARREN...ALPINE VILLAGE... GET TO SAFETY IMMEDIATELY WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. LAT...LON 4425 7276 4388 7274 4392 7332 4409 7339 KGM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
842 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
VTZ002>008-010-016>018-220145-
CALEDONIA VT-EASTERN ADDISON VT-EASTERN CHITTENDEN VT-
EASTERN FRANKLIN VT-ESSEX VT-LAMOILLE VT-ORANGE VT-ORLEANS VT-
WASHINGTON VT-WESTERN CHITTENDEN VT-WESTERN FRANKLIN VT-
842 PM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH CALEDONIA...EAST
CENTRAL ADDISON...EASTERN CHITTENDEN...ESSEX...LAMOILLE...NORTHERN
ORANGE...SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN...SOUTHERN ORLEANS AND WASHINGTON
COUNTIES...
AT 836 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM EAST
FAIRFIELD TO WEST BOLTON TO ALPINE VILLAGE...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND
IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. AT 834 PM...A WIND GUST OF 46 MPH WAS
MEASURED AT THE BURLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...
MONTGOMERY CENTER...MONTGOMERY...WESTFIELD...SOUTH NEWPORT...
EVANSVILLE...EXIT 26 I91...EAST CHARLESTON...MCINDOE FALLS...BRIGHTON
STATE PARK...ISLAND POND...SOUTH LUNENBURG...MAIDSTONE...
GET TO SAFETY IMMEDIATELY WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 4456 7159 4450 7157 4441 7169 4439 7179
4435 7182 4433 7198 4428 7206 4411 7205
4409 7202 4400 7210 4394 7211 4396 7293
4445 7291 4491 7294 4487 7155 4479 7156
4475 7162 4459 7153
LOCONTOThe Burlington radar (KCXX), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:41 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several reports of tree branches and power lines down along Skunk Hollow road due to thunderstorm winds.
A very large Maple tree with a diameter of several feet and a few smaller trees downed by thunderstorms winds.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Vermont in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Vermont, May 2013
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: 444475, 444476.