Despite Early Drizzly Showers, Vermont Fire Danger Actually Increases Today

Firefighters work to contain a Bristol, Vermont forest
fire in April, 2013. Conditions are ripe
for similar fires in Vermont this week.  

During that nice weather we had over the weekend, me and many others were warning people to be careful with fire. Blazes could get out of control quickly this time of year in that kind of weather.

Early this morning, it was a bit damp and drizzly in Vermont, especially across the north, after some light overnight rain. Fire danger over, right?

Nope, not by a long shot.

It didn't rain much at all last night, with most places having a quarter inch or less, and southern Vermont getting barely a sprinkle, if anything. So things didn't get wetted down that much.

On top of that, a blast of dry air is coming into Vermont today, which, with the sun, will dry out anything that got even vaguely wet. The difference today, too, is that winds will gust to 30 mph or more, which would quickly spread any fires that start.

By the way, most of New England and the Northeast is in the same boat today. Dry air, sun and strong winds have got a high fire danger stretching from Delaware northward through southern and central New England into eastern New York and Vermont.

Here in Vermont, the fire danger today gets higher the more south you go. Less rain fell last night in the south as mentioned, and they've been drier than the north all spring anyway.

In far southern Vermont, theres a red flag warning, which basically means no outdoor fires and be very much on the lookout for brush fires.

A slightly less dire special weather statement covers the rest of southern and central Vermont, telling people to be very careful with fire.

There are no particular weather statements for far northern Vermont and New York and New Hampshire, but even there, things should dry out this afternoon quite a bit, and with the gusty winds, I'd avoid outdoor burning there too, for sure.

Wednesday and Thursday are going to be very dry, too, so you'll have to watch out then, too. At least then, the wind won't be blowing as strong.

There might be some welcome showers on Friday.