Vermont, 2020

Damaging Winds in Vermont, October 7, 2020

October 7, 2020 · NWS ALY · 3 events in 1 county or zone

A high-end severe weather event unfolded across the Northeast on Wednesday October 7, 2020. A line of thunderstorms originated across New York state and moved eastward into New England during the afternoon hours, producing widespread damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
3

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 ALY wrote it up.

A high-end severe weather event unfolded across the Northeast on Wednesday October 7, 2020. A line of thunderstorms originated across New York state and moved eastward into New England during the afternoon hours, producing widespread damage. This line brushed far southern Vermont, producing some tree damage across Bennington County. These storms resulted in about 21,000 power outages across southern Vermont. This event was classified as a serial derecho based on the 320 mile long damage swath and distribution of significant wind gusts (75 mph and above).

What forecasters said that day

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 Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 7, 3:04 PM EST, 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 7, 3:04 PM EST, 6 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 7, 3:25 AM EST, 11 hours 45 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Albany NY
425 AM EDT Wed Oct 7 2020

CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ047>054-058>061-063>066-VTZ013>015-081100-
Northern Litchfield-Southern Litchfield-Northern Berkshire-
Southern Berkshire-Schoharie-Western Schenectady-Eastern Schenectady-
Southern Saratoga-Western Albany-Eastern Albany-Western Rensselaer-
Eastern Rensselaer-Western Greene-Eastern Greene-Western Columbia-
Eastern Columbia-Western Ulster-Eastern Ulster-Western Dutchess-
Eastern Dutchess-Bennington-Western Windham-Eastern Windham-
425 AM EDT Wed Oct 7 2020

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 2 AM EDT
THURSDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southern Vermont, northwestern
Connecticut, western Massachusetts, and the Capital District,
Schoharie Valley, eastern Catskills, Helderbergs, Mid Hudson Valley,
and Taconics in eastern New York.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Wind Advisory.

As a cold front moves through the region, there is a chance of
thunderstorms this afternoon. There is a marginal risk for severe
thunderstorms with the main threat being damaging winds.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon.

NYZ032-033-038>043-082>084-081100-
Northern Herkimer-Hamilton-Southern Herkimer-Southern Fulton-
Montgomery-Northern Saratoga-Northern Warren-Northern Washington-
Northern Fulton-Southeast Warren-Southern Washington-
425 AM EDT Wed Oct 7 2020

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 11 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Mohawk Valley, southern
Adirondacks, and Lake George Saratoga Region in eastern New York.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Wind Advisory.

As a cold front moves through the region, there is a chance of
thunderstorms this afternoon. There is a marginal risk for severe
thunderstorms with the main threat being damaging winds.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 7, 2:22 PM EST, 48 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 2:28 PM EST, 42 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 2:53 PM EST, 17 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 2:55 PM EST, 15 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 3:05 PM EST, 5 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 3:10 PM EST, 0 minutes before
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The radar

The Albany radar (KENX), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:12 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bennington

When
October 7, 3:10 PM EST
Where
Bennington County, 0.73 mi NE of Pownal Center
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
42.806, -73.219

Trees and wires were downed on Route 7 between Jackson Cross Road and Center Street.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bennington

When
October 7, 3:10 PM EST
Where
Bennington County, Bennington
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
42.880, -73.200

Trees were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bennington

When
October 7, 3:10 PM EST
Where
Bennington County, 0.86 mi SE of Bennington
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
42.870, -73.190

Widespread trees and power lines were downed.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Vermont in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Vermont, October 2020

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 923359, 923361, 923363.