Brutal Vermont Cold Update; Australian Wildfires

Record early season cold has engulfed Vermont and most of the
eastern United States. Burlington, Vermont this morning also set a
record for the coldest for so early in the season.

Like we expected, it's brutally cold for this time of year here in Vermont, and across much of the eastern United States.  Record lows are falling like crazy in the Green Montain State and elsewhere.

As of 7 a.m., it was 9 degrees in Burlington, Vermont.This is a record low for the date, beating the previous low of 15 degrees. It is also the coldest for so early in the season.

Before midnight Tuesday in Burlington, it got to 14 degrees, which managed to break the record for the date of 15 degrees, set in 1933.

It looks like there's a good chance we'll have three consecutive days of record low temperatures, as Thursday morning might set another record.

Also, the high temperature in Burlington Tuesday was just 26 degrees, which was a record for the lowest high temperature on that date.  Today, if you consider the low temperature and the expected high temperature, would be colder than normal for January

Burlington's string of record lows this week is especially remarkable because the city has such a long period of record.  They started keeping track of Burlington's daily weather in the 1880s.  The longer period of record you have, the less chance you'll see record highs or lows. That's because it's likely most days have seen something close to their highest or lowest possible temperatures.

This is also the second November in a row with a remarkable cold record in Burlington. Last November, the city experienced its earliest subzero reading on record.

Most of Vermont and northern New York before dawn were in the single numbers. Rutland was pretty remarkable at just 6 above zero.  Wind chills were mostly in the single digits below zero this morning.

Several other cities, like Burlington, broke records just before and just after midnight. They include Dayton, Ohio, South Bend, Indiana and Memphis, Tennessee, so you know the cold is widespread.

I expect all in all, a few hundred record lows will be broken by the time this cold wave ends towards Sunday or so.

AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES

It's quite the opposite problem in Australia, and a much worse one at that.

Peter Parks AFP/Getty

We can survive shivering in the cold, and all most of us suffer from is increased heating bills. (Although I have to acknowledge this early season cold is very dangerous and potentially deadly for vulnerable populations, like some elderly people and of course the homeless.)

In any event, the Australian wildfires are extreme, even by their standards. Worse, this is hitting just at the beginning of their wildfire season, so it will be a long few months Down Under.

In the province of New South Wales, at least 200 homes have burned and three people have died, reports the BBC. 

The weather will continue to be dangerous and make Australia prone to more wildfires through the rest of the week.