Get ready for a wild week!
The last week of January has started with another biting cold that met me on the way out the door Monday morning. In fact I caught a glimpse of a beautiful halo around the moon as high level clouds were moving in under a nearly full moon. It was quite picturesque, though my sub par cell phone camera couldn't show it :)
The morning low temperature in Burlington Monday was about 3 degrees above zero. This comes in a line of several consecutive days near or below zero with high temperatures struggling to reach the teens. However this week will be much different.
SNOW COMING IN
As warmer air pushes in this week, it will bump into cold air across New England and create widespread light to moderate snow. I'm expecting 2-4 inches for most locations, however up to 6 inches in the hillier terrain of the northern Adirondacks, stretching southeast through the central/southern Green Mountains. This will create slippery snow and ice covered surfaces Monday evening during the busy commute, with isolated icy spots leftover Tuesday morning.
LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE/WINTRY MIX
As warmer air pushes in Tuesday but colder air stays put across eastern Vermont/New Hampshire, a light wintry mix will be possible. This will feature light freezing drizzle or light freezing rain, which could be enough to cause icy conditions again Tuesday night.
RECORD WARMTH WEDNESDAY?
A few cities could break their respective record high temperatures for Wednesday, January 30. For example Burlington's record (as it stands) is 45 degrees. Our SkyTracker Meteorologists forecast says 50 for the Burlington area. Also Montpelier and Massena record highs are 49 degrees which may be broken too.
FLOODING POSSIBLE THIS WEEK
As this unseasonably warm push of air comes in, along with a heavy rain potential, it will result in possible flooding along rivers. Any snow that we receive Monday and Monday night will melt away Tuesday into Wednesday. Our area has the potential to get a half-inch of *rain* Wednesday and that will melt more snow pack and run off quickly into the area rivers. A cold week last week followed by 50 degree weather Wednesday could create ice jams and flooding too.
THEN A RETURN TO 'NORMAL'
After this roller coaster of temperatures this week, we'll then return to more 'normal' temperatures by the end of the week. By that time my head will be spinning wondering what season it is! Temperatures will be in the 10s at night, 20s during the day Thursday to Sunday. However there's a possibility of another deep freeze for the first week of February next week. Oh boy...
-Meteorologist Steve Glazier
