A slow moving storm in the Great Lakes region delivered mild, moist air into a unseasonably cold, dry airmass across Vermont during the afternoon and evening of April 6th. Snow developed during the afternoon hours and remained nearly stationary across the Canadian border through the evening and night hours.
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 slow moving storm in the Great Lakes region delivered mild, moist air into a unseasonably cold, dry airmass across Vermont during the afternoon and evening of April 6th. Snow developed during the afternoon hours and remained nearly stationary across the Canadian border through the evening and night hours. Snowfall ranged from less than an inch across the southern Champlain Valley and southern Vermont to 4 to 6 inches 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 6, 3:14 PM EST, 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT 414 PM EDT WED APR 6 2016 .SYNOPSIS... WARM FRONT WILL BRING RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT. THE MAIN LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL TRACK INTO THE ST. LAWRENCE VALLEY AND BRING WIDESPREAD RAIN DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. A LARGE AND SLOW MOVING UPPER LOW BRINGS COOL AND CLOUDY CONDITIONS FROM FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH PERIODS OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND WILL ONCE AGAIN BE BELOW NORMAL. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 357 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...SOUTHERLY WINDS CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THIS EVENING AS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION AND PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. LOCAL CHANNELING EFFECTS IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY WILL YIELD SOME GUSTS 25-30 MPH ESPECIALLY ON THE VT SIDE OF THE VALLEY. ISENTROPIC ASCENT AND WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE REST OF THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT ALONG THE WARM FRONT. STRONGEST ASCENT WILL BE NORTH OF THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER BUT WILL SEE A PERIOD OF SHOWERS ALONG OUR NORTHERN ZONES THIS EVENING. LIGHT SNOW ALREADY REACHING NORTHERN NEW YORK ZONES AT THIS TIME. VERTICAL TEMPERATURE PROFILES SUPPORT SOME SNOW...ESPECIALLY ABOVE 1000FT THIS EVENING. PAVED SURFACES WILL GENERALLY BE WARM ENOUGH TO PRECLUDE ANY ISSUES ON THE ROADWAYS...BUT COULD SEE A COATING TO AN INCH ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF NORTHERN NY/FAR NORTHERN VT. THE WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH TO NEAR THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER BY 06Z. WILL SEE CONTINUED GUSTY WINDS...30-40 MPH IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY...LIKELY PEAKING AROUND 06Z. BEST CONVERGENCE IS ACROSS FAR NORTHERN AREAS...AND UP INTO QUEBEC. THUS...NOT EXPECTING A LOT OF PRECIPITATION OVERNIGHT...BUT WILL SEE SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS IN THE NORTHERN VALLEYS WITH SOME SLEET/SNOW MIX ACROSS HIGH ELEVATIONS...MAINLY ABOVE 1000'. GENERALLY LOOKING AT WET SNOW WITH A COATING TO AN ADDITIONAL INCH ACROSS THE NORTHERN ADIRONDACKS AND PORTIONS OF N-CENTRAL INTO NORTHEASTERN VT. SUMMITS FROM MANSFIELD TO JAY PEAK COULD SEE 2-4" OVERNIGHT. TEMPS GENERALLY STEADY OR SLOWLY RISING IN THE 30S WITH OVERCAST CONDITIONS TONIGHT AND CONTINUED SOUTHERLY FLOW. PRIMARY SURFACE LOW TRACKS INTO SAINT LAWRENCE VALLEY ON THURSDAY. MODELS ARE INDICATING A SECONDARY LOW WILL FORM OVER SOUTHERN NEW YORK ON THURSDAY. THE LOWS WILL BE CONNECTED BY AN OCCLUDED FRONT WHICH WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR RAIN ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS OUR FORECAST AREA. GOOD MOISTURE CONVERGENCE WITH THIS FEATURE...ESPECIALLY FROM THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY EASTWARD. THEREFORE HIGHEST POPS AND QPF TOTALS FOR VERMONT. AS PREVIOUS FORECASTER STATED...STILL LOOKS LIKE THE HEAVIEST PERIOD OF PRECIP WILL BE FROM 18Z THU TO 06Z FRIDAY. WIND PROFILES CONT TO SHOW 850MB JET OF 50 TO 55 KNOTS ON THU MORNING...SUPPORTING LOCALIZED BREEZY WINDS ACROSS THE CHAMPLAIN AND SAINT LAWRENCE VALLEYS...AND OVER THE EXPOSED MOUNTAINS SUMMITS. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 356 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...CLOSED LOW AT THE SURFACE WILL MOVE NORTHWARD AS STRONG FGEN ALOFT DEVELOPS AND TRACKS FROM EASTERN DACKS ACROSS VT THURSDAY EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT. DEEP MOISTURE COMBINED WITH LIFT FROM VORTMAX EMBEDDED IN UPPER FLOW WILL RESULT IN MODERATE PRECIPITATION OVERNIGHT. QPF AMOUNTS WILL BE HEAVIEST IN EASTERN VERMONT NEARING 0.75 INCH AND TAPERING TO A HALF INCH IN THE EASTERN CHAMPLAIN VALLEY AND CONTINUING TO TAPER OFF TO AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH IN THE ST LAWRENCE VALLEY BY 12Z FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO FALL NEAR FREEZING OVER NORTHERN NY AND THE HIGH TERRAIN...TRANSITIONING RAIN TO SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. FRIDAY WILL SEE SHORTWAVE EMBEDDED IN LARGE 500MB TROUGH CONTINUE THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY. COLDER AIR EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER NORTHERN NY KEEPING PRECIP AS SNOW SHOWERS DURING THE DAY WHILE MOST OF VT WILL BE WARM ENOUGH IN MORE PROLONG SOUTHERLY FLOW TO SEE MOSTLY RAIN SHOWERS. AS AFOREMENTIONED SHORTWAVE PROGRESSES EASTWARD...A COLD FRONT WILL BE REFLECTED AT THE SURFACE WITH WINDS SHIFTING NW AND FILTERING COOLER AIR BEHIND IT. COME FRIDAY EVENING RAIN WILL BEGIN TO TRANSITION TO SNOW ACROSS THE ENTIRE NORTH COUNTRY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 356 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...NORTH COUNTRY REMAINS UNDER LARGE 500MB TROUGH THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/EARLY SUNDAY. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A CHANCE FOR SNOW SHOWERS FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. SATURDAY WILL SEE A DRYING TREND AS BULK OF ENERGY DIGS SOUTH OF THE AREA AND PRODUCES A SURFACE LOW TRACKING OVER NJ, WHILE NORTHERN STREAM SURFACE LOW DEPARTS TO THE NORTH. SNOWFALL TOTALS WILL GENERALLY BE A DUSTING TO 2 INCHES ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND 1-3 INCHES ABOVE 1KFT, WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE IN THE HIGH TERRAIN ABOVE 2KFT. SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY WILL SEE RIDGING AT THE SURFACE AN ALOFT PROVIDE A BRIEF PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER. COLD TEMPERATURES OVER THE WEEKEND - IN THE 30S - WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE ON MONDAY AS THE SURFACE HIGH SHIFTS SOUTH AND EAST INTO THE MID ATLANTIC. ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES FOR A RETURN TO PROLONGED PERIOD OF WET CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES LOOK TO REMAIN WARM ENOUGH TO SEE MOSTLY RAIN INTO THE MID-WEEK. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY...CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND LOWER AS A WARM FRONT APPROACHES FROM WRN/CENTRAL PA AND NY. NOW SEEING AN INITIAL WAVE OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS PUSHING INTO THE AREA WITH SN REPORTED IN NORTHERN NY...MAINLY AFFECTING MSS/SLK WITH MVFR CONDITIONS AT TIMES THRU 00Z. SURFACE TEMPS LIKELY SLIGHTLY ABOVE FREEZING EVEN AT SLK...SO NOT EXPECTING MUCH IMPACT FROM ANY OF THE SNOWFALL AS IT MELTS ON PAVED SURFACES. SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE AT ALL TAF LOCATIONS AFTER 00Z THU...CONTINUING TO BE MOST WIDESPREAD AT MSS/SLK. MAINLY CARRIED VCSH THRU 12Z...THEN ADDED A PREVAILING GROUP AFTER THAT. INCREASING SOUTH WINDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD ESPECIALLY IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY WHERE CHANNELING AFFECTS HELP TO PUSH GUSTS ABOVE 25 KTS. RAIN WILL BEGIN TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AFTER 12Z...BUT ESPECIALLY AFTER 18Z THURSDAY. OUTLOOK 18Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY... 18Z THURSDAY THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY...LOW PRESSURE BRINGS WIDESPREAD RAIN WITH PREVAILING MVFR AND PERIODS OF IFR WITH TERRAIN OBSCURED. MAY SEE STEADY PRECIPITATION END AS A PERIOD OF WET SNOW 00-06Z FRIDAY...MAINLY FOR SLK. 06Z FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...GENERALLY UNSETTLED AS LARGE AND SLOW-MOVING UPPER LOW ACROSS THE REGION BRINGS OVERCAST SKIES WITH LONG-PERIODS OF MVFR CEILINGS LIKELY. PERIODS OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE WITH INTERVALS OF MVFR TO IFR VSBY. && .MARINE... WIND TO INCREASE OVER THE LAKE THROUGH MUCH OF THURSDAY. APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL TIGHTEN PRESSURE GRADIENT AND INCREASE LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY WINDS, AIDED BY CHANNELING UP THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. AS THE SURFACE LOW MOVES NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHERN ONTARIO SOUTHERLY WINDS UP TO 30 KTS OVER THE LAKE CAN BE EXPECTED. WITH LAKE WATER IN THE UPPER 30S AND AIR TEMPERATURE WARMING INTO THE LOWER 40S, COOLER AIR OVER THE LAKE SHOULD CREATE A STABLE LAYER TO KEEP STRONGER WINDS FROM MIXING DOWN. BASED ON MAX WINDS NEAR 30 KNOTS WAVE HEIGHTS UP TO 3 FEET FORECAST. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...NEILES NEAR TERM...BANACOS/NEILES SHORT TERM...KGM LONG TERM...KGM AVIATION...BANACOS/NEILES MARINE...BANACOS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT 325 AM EDT WED APR 6 2016 NYZ028-035-VTZ001-002-005-009-011-070730- EASTERN CLINTON-EASTERN ESSEX-GRAND ISLE-WESTERN FRANKLIN- WESTERN CHITTENDEN-WESTERN ADDISON-WESTERN RUTLAND- 325 AM EDT WED APR 6 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK...CENTRAL VERMONT...NORTHWEST VERMONT AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SUSTAINED SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH, WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NYZ026-027-029>031-034-087-VTZ003-004-006>008-010-012-016>019-070730- NORTHERN ST. LAWRENCE-NORTHERN FRANKLIN-SOUTHEASTERN ST. LAWRENCE- SOUTHERN FRANKLIN-WESTERN CLINTON-WESTERN ESSEX- SOUTHWESTERN ST. LAWRENCE-ORLEANS-ESSEX-LAMOILLE-CALEDONIA- WASHINGTON-ORANGE-WINDSOR-EASTERN FRANKLIN-EASTERN CHITTENDEN- EASTERN ADDISON-EASTERN RUTLAND- 325 AM EDT WED APR 6 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK...CENTRAL VERMONT...NORTHEAST VERMONT...NORTHWEST VERMONT AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. 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.
10 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Two to four inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county.
Two to four inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county.
One to three inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county.
Less than an inch to three inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county.
Less than an inch to three inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in in northern sections of the county.
Four to six inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county.
Two to five inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county.
Two to six inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county. An isolated report or two exceeded 7 inches.
Two to six inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county. An isolated report or two exceeded 7 inches.
Less than an inch to two inches of snow fell across the region...the larger totals were in higher elevations and in northern sections of the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Vermont in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Vermont, April 2016
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: 618339, 618340, 618342, 618343, 618344, 618345, 618346, 618347, 618348, 618349.