Tornado Confirmed In Orange County Vermont, Record Hail In Westford Vermont.

Tornado Touchdown In Orange County, Vermont
    It has been confirmed by National Weather Service officials from Burlington, Vermont, that a Tornado touched down in Orange County, Vermont. The tornado produced winds in the 55-75MPH range knocking numerous trees down, and tearing a barn roof off. For more information on the tornado, please view the link below.

     Also, it now appears that the hail that fell yesterday, has been record breaking. It has not yet been confirmed, but the National Weather Service has stated in a quick Climate discussion, on the area forecast discussion, that the hailstone that had fallen was nearly 3.25 inches in diameter, the hailstone has been preserved and is currently in the freezer at the National Weather Service Office in Burlington, Vermont. If no trustworthy records of hail larger then 3 inches in diameter can be confirmed across the State of Vermont, then this will have been the largest documented hail stone to have ever fallen across the State of Vermont. This hail produced significant damage across Westford, Vermont, including the death of around 40 animals, including a large pig, on a farm located in Westford, Vermont.

Severe Thunderstorms & Isolated Tornadoes Possible Into Tonight

National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center Special Mesoscale Discussion (Click HERE To View Details!)

Champlain Valley Weather Discussion:
     Currently, things are quieting down across the region other than some light to moderate rain across Vermont, mainly east of the Champlain Valley. Things may become interesting overnight as the atmosphere remains unstable. The threat for severe weather overnight, is a rare occurrence across the Northeast United States, as we don't have enough sub-tropical or tropical moisture to make up for the daytime heating, that produces our primary instability. With that in mind, the Storm Prediction Center, has issued a Mesoscale discussion stating that the possibility for continued severe thunderstorms will be possible overnight, and to make it even more rare, the possibility of isolated tornadoes. The Greatest threat for continued severe weather will be across Northern New York, Western, and Central New York, south into Pennsylvania. This situation will be monitored closely, and if a Severe Weather Watch is issued for our area I will post that immediately.

     National Weather Service Doppler Radar is currently indicating storms developing along the St. Lawrence River Valley, and further South, and West into Ontario, Canada, and Buffalo, New York. One area of showers and thunderstorms that will be concern to our area, are a line of storms currently just west of St. Lawrence County, in Canada right now. Doppler radar is indicating that this line of thunderstorms has the potential to produce penny to nickel size hail. This storm is approximately 30 miles West of Potsdam, New York. No Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued yet, but that may change soon. This area of storms will be watched closely as they progress across Northern New York, and possibly into Western Vermont. Stay tuned for possible further updates.

Severe Thunderstorms Pushing North

     The National Weather Service in Burlington, has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Franklin, Chittenden, Grandisle, Washington, Lamoille, and Addison Counties in Vermont, and Clinton, and Essex Counties in New York until 7:30PM. Doppler radar is indicated a line of severe thunderstorms moving North, capable of producing damaging winds in excess of 60MPH. This same line of thunderstorms has had a history of producing damaging winds in excess of 80MPH across Northern Rutland, and Southern Addison Counties in Vermont. CLICK ON THE MAP ABOVE FOR MORE ALERT DETAILS!

Severe Thunderstorm Watch #533 In Effect For Parts Of Our Region

Overview: The National Weather Service, Storm Prediction Center out of Norman, Oklahoma, has issued Severe Thunderstorm watch #533 for parts of our region. Hail to 2 inches in diameter, and thunderstorm wind gust to 70MPH are possible in the strongest of storms. (Click on either map above for alert details)

Champlain Valley Weather Discussion:
     Today looks to be rather interesting. Significant sunshine was able to break through the clouds this morning, and destabilize the atmosphere significantly from the Champlain Valley, and points west. Currently the most unstable atmosphere is over the Champlain Valley itself, where sun has been prevalent much of the day. Across the Champlain and St. Lawrence Valleys, MUCAPE values range from 900 j/kg to 1500 j/kg, with SBCAPE values ranging from 800 j/kg to 1000 j/kg, and LI's in the -1 to -4 range. All together what this is indicating is that the atmosphere is unstable, and the likelihood for thunderstorms is fairly high, with severe thunderstorms possible.

     The primary severe threat will be large hail, due to freezing heights being slightly lower then normal due to the upper level low pressure system over the Great Lakes region. Secondary threat will be damaging winds, and the final threat being the possibility of a very brief tornado, due to some rotation.

     Aside from the severe thunderstorm aspect, overall the main threat today, will be for isolated Flash Flooding. With Precipitable water values in the 1.0 - 1.5 range today, and the possibility of training/ backing thunderstorms, it wont take much to get storms to drop 1-2 inches in a short period of time. Some isolated storms could even produce up to 3 inches! The greatest threat for any Flash Flooding would be across the higher terrain of Clinton, and Essex Counties in New York, and the Western slopes of the Green Mountains in Vermont, especially where areas in Vermont received 1-2 inches of rain yesterday, leading to lowering Flash Flood Values. With this in mind, I have extended the Flash Flood Watch on my "Suggested Alerts" map, and it now covers the entire Champlain Valley coverage area. The reason I expanded it west, is because that's where storms should be most numerous, however any slow moving storms that can push into the Western Slopes, and Eastern Vermont will have the potential to produce isolated Flash Flooding.

     Aside from the Severe weather details, recently Champlain Valley Weather has had a team put together to do some Storm Chasing. Currently we do not have computer access in the Chase Vehicles so we have our own Storm Tracker in which we stay in frequent contact with, so we are sent to the hot spots. With all this in mind we urge you to view the site frequently, as days when we are out chasing we will send texts direct to the Champlain Valley Weather site so you know exactly whats going on out on the roads. Today we plan on Chasing from 3-8PM if storms being to develop, so stay tuned to the site for Chase posts, with live from the scene damage or flooding photos!

Confirmed Tornado In Washington Vermont

Severe Weather Produces A Tornado In Washington Vermont!
     Yesterdays severe thunderstorms produced significant damage across Central and Southern Vermont. In Washington, Vermont which is located in Orange County, a Tornado had touched down. This was confirmed by the National Weather Service today 5/10 who sent out a team to assess the situation. Numerous witness reports, and the layout of the debris confirmed an Enhanced Fujita Scale 1 (EF1) Tornado had touched down. With wind speeds ranging from 90-100MPH. An EF1 tornado produces winds of 86-110MPH. So this classifies the tornado as an EF1.

Please visit the following links for more information...
-Washington, VT. Damage Survey Results
-What Is The Enhanced Fujita Scale

Severe Weather With Isolated Tornadoes Possible Today

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM (Click HERE For Details!)

     I apologize for no recent updates, I have been extremely busy, but with this said, although I am on call, I have made time to send out an update. Severe weather is possible today. Details below...


     The National Weather Service, Storm Prediction Center out of Norman, OK has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Western Vermont, and Much of New York, this includes much of the Champlain valley, and adjacent western slopes. For some reason Franklin County, VT is not included. However in my suggested alerts, I feel almost all of Vermont is needed in a watch as well. In a Mesoscale discussion they issued prior to the watch they stated that isolated tornadoes were also possible. This discussion can be found HERE



CHAMPLAIN VALLEY WEATHER DISCUSSION:
     Currently across the Champlain Valley and adjacent western slopes a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 7PM. For some reason the Storm Prediction Center has excluded the extreme Northeastern Champlain Valley, and Adjacent western slopes. This being Franklin County in Vermont. I feel that Franklin county, as well as much of the state should be under a severe thunderstorm watch, as storms rapidly moving east, combined with a strong jet and moderate instability will result in severe storms. As you can see on my suggested alerts map, I have a Watch up for everyone.

     Looking at radar, some potent storms across Northern, and Western New York right now. An apparent long lived supercell or multicell is across St. Lawrence County New York right now, this area of storms has had a history of producing large hail, and damaging winds. There is actually some occasional rotation noted with it. I wouldn't be surprised to see a tornado warning or two issued today. With that said I don't feel there will be widespread tornadoes or strong tornadoes for that matter, but an isolated tornado or two could occur, especially across Central New York, and Southern Vermont. I will continue to keep a close eye out on the Severe Thunderstorm currently over Southwestern St. Lawrence County. Stay tuned for further updates.