Labor Day Rumbles and Grumbles

Jackson the Cocker Spaniel and I heard grumbles and rumbles of thunder early this morning when we went outside after a good night's sleep in St. Albans, Vermont.

A thundestorm over Addison County, Vermont
in July, 2011. Similar scenes are likely across
the Northeast today.  

We ended up getting very little rain out of the band of showers and storms that went through.

Meanwhile, there were flash flood warnings in parts of far southern Vermont and in central New Hampshire.

That state of affairs highlights the hit and miss nature of the weather we've had for the past three days. Some places in New England have been hammered by heavy, and sometimes repeated downpours that have raised some flood fears.

The flash food warning for far southeastern Vermont that was in effect early this morning has expired, and I haven't heard of any major high water there. But the southernmost part of Vermont is still under a flash flood watch, as is much of New Hampshire. More rain could trigger more problems.

Other areas, like where I live in St. Albans,  have had almost no rain for the past week, and we could stand some rain. The garden is a bit dry.

This pattern will continue today, Labor Day, and into tonight. There's a very good chance of showers and storms, some with heavy rain, but not everyone will get nailed.

The early morning bouts of showers and storms that hit northern New York, Vermont and New Hampshire are moving away for the most part, and there's a lull in the action for the rest of the morning.

There might be a few pop up showers and storms before lunchtime, but nothing wild.

Forecasters are still expected another bloom of showers and storms this afternoon that will develop in northern and western New York and head east into New England.

I suspect things will be as hit and miss as they have been the past few days. Almost everyone in northern New York and New England will get some rain.

Some spots-- it's hard to say who-- will get nailed with torrential downpours. Other places won't get much at all.   I'm just hoping the places that already got a lot of rain lately miss out this afternoon and places that could use some wetting get a downpour or two.

But you can't order the weather you want the way you can order Chinese takeout, can you?

The rain will diminish late tonight as the cold front comes through and the long awaited return to cooler, drier air will arrive Tuesday.

There's still a threat of a few showers Tuesday and maybe a few Wednesday as a second cold front comes through. Thursday will really be the unofficial first day of fall. By that I mean it will really feel like autumn for the first time this year, with some hill towns not getting out of the 50s during the afternoon and most of us staying in the 60s here in northern New England.

Look for some frost in the colder mountain valleys Thursday night. Yep. it's that time of year, folks.