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Introduction -- Welcome to the Vermont Climate Information Web Page. It is hoped that you may find climate information useful for your specific interests. The base data for Vermont and the U.S. is held in the archives of the National Climate Data Center. This is not a weather information source. Climatic data is long-term covering such elements as average temperature over monthly, annual, decadal, and 30 year normal periods. This page will be expanded to include data . Some Vermont data is available on-line from the address below.

NCDC is the National Climate Data Center at Asheville, N.C.where all U.S. data is received, evaluated, corrected, and archived. Some Vermont data is available on-line from NCDC. The Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell Univeristy also maintains records for Vermont. http://met.cit.cornell.edu/other_rcc.html

The National Weather Service Office in Burlington, Vt is in the process of devloping its web page : www/btvwx.com

http://cirrus.sprl.umich.udu/wxnet

The above server is one of many providing weather information which focuses on the recent and current state of the atmosphere. Generally, no climatic data is stored so one would not find average temperature or precipitation records covering years, decades, or longer term climatic normals of 30 years.

MAP OF VERMONT

STATIONS ON THE MAP ARE CURRENT - DISCONTINUED SITES ARE NOTED IN THE STATION LISTS FOLLOWING THE MAP -- THE FIRST FOUR LETTERS OF THE STATION NAMES ARE SHOWN .

STATION LISTS

CURRENT DATA COLLECTION STATIONS: 

STATION                 CODE  LATITUDE LONGITUDE ELEV-Meters 
ALBANY                  43-0134 44.22   72.23   270

BALL MOUNTAIN LAKE      43-0277 43.07   72.48   344

BELLOWS  FALLS          43-0499 43.08   72.27   82

BENNINGTON 3N           43-0568 42.55   73.11   293

BETHEL 4N               43-0660 43.53   72.38   201

BROOKFIELD 2SW          43-0940 44.01   72.38   396

BURLINGTON INTL AP      43-1081 44.28   73.09   101

CANAAN                  43-1213 45.01   71.32   317

CAVENDISH               43-1243 43.23   72.36   244

CHELSEA                 43-1360 43.59   72.27   244

CHITTENDEN              43-1433 43.42   72.57   329

CORINTH                 43-1565 44.01   72.17   335

CORNWALL                43-1580 43.57   73.13   149

DANBY FOURCORNERS       43-1705 43.21   73.03   439

DORSET 2SE              43-1786 43.14   73.05   284

E. WALLINGFORD          43-2682 43.27   72.53   396

ENOSBURG FALLS          43-2769 44.55   72.49   128

ENOSBURG FALLS 2        43-2772 44.54   72.49   130

ESSEX JCT. 1N           43-2843 44.31   73.07   104

GILMAN                  43-3341 44.25   71.43   259

GRAFTON 1NW             43-3400 43.11   72.37   358

GREENSBORO              43-3556 44.35   72.18   427

HIGHGATE FALLS          43-3914 44.56   73.03   53

HUNTINGTON CENTER       43-4052 44.19   73.01   223

ISLAND POND             43-4120 44.49   71.52   372

LUDLOW                  43-4747 43.24   72.43   386

LUDLOW 2                43-4749 43.23   72.41   302

MARSHFIELD              43-4999 44.21   72.21   243

MIDDLEBURY              43-5066 44.00   73.1    152

MONTPELIER  AP          43-5278 44.12   72.34   343

MORRISVILLE             43-5366 44.34   72.36   189

MORRISVILLE 4 SSW       43-5376 44.31   72.37   232

MT. MANSFIELD           43-5416 44.32   72.49   1204

NEWFANE TELEMARK        43-5496 43.01   72.38   117

NEWPORT                 43-5542 44.56   72.12   235

NEWPORT AP              54748   44.53   72.14   278

N. HARTLAND LAKE        43-5768 43.36   72.21   174

N. SPRINGFIELD LAKE     43-5982 43.20   72.3    171

NORTHFIELD              43-5733 44.10   72.39   203

ORANGE                  43-6176 44.09   72.24   482

PASSUMPSIC              43-6244 44.22   72.02   149

PERU                    43-6335 43.16   72.54   518

PITTSFIELD              43-6386 43.46   72.5    259

POWNAL                  43-6500 42.47   73.13   348

READSBORO 1SE           43-6761 42.45   72.56   341

ROCHESTER               43-6893 43.51   72.48   253

RUTLAND                 43-6995 43.37   72.58   189

RUTLAND AP              94737   43.32   72.57   238

ST. JOHNSBURY           43-7054 44.25   72.01   213

SALISBURY 2N            43-7098 43.56   73.06   128

SEARSBURG STATION       43-7152 42.52   72.55   476

SHOREHAM                43-7217 43.52   73.15   85

S.  HERO                43-7607 44.38   73.18   34

S.  LINCOLN             43-7612 44.04   72.05   616

S.  NEWBURY             43-7646 44.03   72.05   143

SPRINGFIELD AP           54740  43.2    72.31   176

ST. ALBANS RADIO        43-7032 44.5    73.05   119

SUNDERLAND 2            43-8160 43.05   73.07   274

SUTTON                  43-8169 44.37   72.30   457

TOWNSHEND LAKE          43-8428 43.03   72.42   155

UNION VILLAGE DAM       43-8556 43.48   72.16   140

VERNON                  43-8600 42.46   72.31   69

WAITSFIELD  2W          43-8637 44.11   72.53   313

WATERFORD               43-8824 44.21   71.54   241

WELLS RIVER GAGE        43-8929 44.09   72.02   122

W.  BARNET              43-8959 44.19   72.08   276

W.  BURKE               43-9099 44.39   71.59   274

W.  DANVILLE  2         43-9184 44.24   72.11   480

W.  DOVER               43-9190 42.56   72.51   527

W.  HARTFORD            43-9339 43.43   72.25   114

W.  WARDSBORO           43-9591 43.02   72.51   430

WHITTINGHAM   1W        43-9735 42.48   72.55   427

WILDER                  43-9764 43.40   72.18   119
Note:  Most stations record precipitation only.  
Stations having codes other than 43 -prefix  have WBAN 

(joint Weather Bureau,Army,Navy)codes and are archived according 

to that code at NCDC.

INACTIVE STATIONS AND PERIOD OF RECORD

  1. BALD MOUNTAIN / 1952-1953
  2. BARRE / 1948-1960
  3. BENNINGTON (1) /1948-1952
  4. BENNINGTON 2NW/1952-1978
  5. BETHEL / 1948-1957
  6. BLOOMFIELD / 1948-1968
  7. BOLTONVILLE / 1948-1953
  8. BRISTOL 5NNW/ 1966-1980
  9. BROOKFIELD 1 / 1969-1972
  10. BROWNSVILLE / 1968-1969
  11. BURLINGTON (1)/ 1906-1943
  12. BURLINGTON - UVM / 1956-1964
  13. BURLINGTON - ETHAN ALLEN / 1956-1958
  14. DANVILLE / 1955-1984
  15. EAST FRANKLIN / 1968-1972
  16. EAST HAVEN / 1966-1994
  17. EAST RYEGATE / 1949
  18. GAYSVILLE / 1965-1968
  19. GRANVILLE / 1967-1980
  20. LEMINGTON / 1948-1959
  21. MANCHESTER / 1948-1989
  22. MANCHESTER DEPOT / 1963-1979
  23. MARSHFIELD 1 ENE/ 1966-1977
  24. MAYS MILL / 1948-1975
  25. MCINDOE FALLS / 1948-1972
  26. MIDDLESEX / 1948-1969
  27. NEWFANE (1)/ 1957-1981
  28. NORTH DANVILLE / 1957-1979
  29. NORTH SPRINGFIELD / 1955-1956
  30. NORTHFIELD 3 SSE/1974-1994
  31. ORANGE (1)/ 1966-1974
  32. PLYMOUTH / 1948-1953
  33. PLYMOUTH UNION / 1955-1970
  34. SOUTH LONDONDERY / 1948-1984
  35. SPRINGFIELD 2 SE/1948-1958
  36. SUNDERLAND (1)/1989
  37. TOWNSHEND / 1948-1957
  38. TUNBRIDGE / 1948-1952
  39. TYSON / 1948-1973
  40. WAITSFIELD 1W/ 1982-1985
  41. WAITSFIELD 2WSW/ 1955-1982
  42. WARDSBORO (1) / 1948-1974
  43. WARDSBORO 2 SSE/ 1974-1978
  44. WATERBURY 2 / 1967
  45. WELLS RIVER / 1973-1995
  46. WEST BURKE 5 NW/1948-1951
  47. WEST HARTFORD (1)/1948-1957
  48. WEST TOPSHAM / 1948-1957
  49. WEST WINDSOR / 1969-1977
  50. WESTON 1 S/1948-1956
  51. WHITE RIVER JCT./1933-1985
  52. WOODFORD / 1965-1966
  53. WOODSTOCK (1-3)/ 1948-1969
  54. WATERBURY 2 SSE/ 1948-1992

DATA

Data files for Vermont for the period of record through 1993 are found in Vol.16 of the COOPERATIVE SUMMARY OF THE DAY (TD-3200). This is available on CDROM from the NCDC at:151 Patton Ave., Federal Building, Asheville, N.C. 28801-5001. Ordering information is also avialable at their Web address.

This section (Under construction) will include some Vermont data, such as mean montly temperature, mean monthly precipitation and snowfall. Most of this section will be data only - graphs will be developed as conditions permit.

CLIMATE

This section consists of 1)a narrative of Vermont's climate, and 2) selected information on different aspects of Vermont's climate, such as climatic change, and storm impacts.

CLIMATE OF VERMONT

TOPOGRAPHY - Vermont's area of 9,604 sq. miles contains the Lake Champlain valley along the western fringe, while the Connecticut River valley borders the eastern edge of the state. The "Green Mountain State" is characteristically hilly with the highest range of mountains just to the east of the Champlain Valley. The orientation of the topographic elements is mainly North-South, and this has an important bearing on climatic regions, since topography has an important effect on climate. Vermont extends southward from the Canadian boundary at near the 45th parallel to some 20 miles south of the 43rd parallel, a distance of some 160 miles.

The Green Mountains extend the length of the State. The highest elevation is Mt. Mansfield at 4,393 feet a.s.l. Most other peaks in the Green Mountains are between 2 and 4 thousand feet a.s.l. The topography reveals the impact of continental glaciations which shaped lake basins and deposited a range of landform features. Lakes account for some 300 square miles, and Lake Champlain is large enough to produce a "lake effect" on the climate of its shores and islands.

CLIMATIC FEATURES -- Vermont's climate is characterized by 1) large ranges in daily and monthly temperature, 2)large differences between the same seasons in different years, 3)equable distribution of precipitation, 4)considerable diversity from place to place especially with respect to microclimate,and 5)abrupt changes in short term patterns linked to changeableness of weather. The State has three climatic divisions (Western, Northeastern, and Southeastern) which take into account the terrain features that have an effect on climate such as Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains.

The variable nature of Vermont's climate is due to its geographical position relative to storm tracks in the "Westerlies". Upper air currents frequently steer low pressure areas toward Vermont and the Northeast. The changes accompanying passage of a "Low" usually bring warm, moist air from the South, followed by an abrupt change to colder, drier air from Canada and the Polar regions. The "Noreaster", an intense and large Low, is responsible for exceptional snowfalls during winter.

TEMPERATURE -- The average annual temperature in the Northeastern Division is 43 degrees F., and in the Southeastern and Western, they are respectively 44 and 46 degrees F. Elevation, slope, aspect, and land use (urbanization) all have an effect. The highest temperature of record for the State is 105 degrees F., observed July 4, 1911. Summer temperatures tend to be moderate with maximum daily temperature only near 80 degrees, while minimum daily temperatures average close to 50 degrees F. Temperatures from place to place vary more in winter than in summer. Subzero readings can number up to 60 at some locations in the Northern hills, but for most of the State 10 to 40 per year are recorded.

The growing season ranges from 130 to 150 days in the larger valleys on western and eastern fringes. In the interior hills and mountains, 100 to 130 days is common. Generally, the growing season begins at the end of May and extends into September.

PRECIPITATION -- Total precipitation averages 45 inches in the Southeastern Division and close to 38 inches in the other two divisions. There is considerable variation due to terrain. Mt. Mansfield receives over 70 inches while Burlington receives about half of that.

SNOWFALL -- Snowfall is highly variable form year to year. Variations in seasonal totals range between 50 to 150 percent of the long-term average. The average number of days with i inch or more of snowfall in a season varies from near 20 to 40. Frequency increases with elevation so that the higher mountains may receive over 100 inches in a season. The heaviest daily snowfall of record was recorded in 1888 which dumped some 40 - 50 inches in the southeast area of Vermont.

The map below shows the large variation in normal (30 yr - 1961-90) precipitation that can be expected due to terrain. The Champlain Valley is at the left edge where precipitation amounts are 35 inches (Cornwall). The isolines on this map are related to topography so that higher elevations receive 50 to 60 in. Closer to the right edge of the map, values drop to near 40 inches. This map is a section from a precipitation modelling program called PRISM and is being developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Water and Climate Center in partnership with the Univ. of Oregon. MAP SCALE 1 IN. = 16 MILES