June Is NOT Starting Off As Summerlike In Vermont

Webcam image from the Nashville section of Jericho from this
morning depicts that cloudy, cool conditions that have
continued from May into June in Vermont.

I'm out in South Dakota for my yearly trip. It's normally peak storm time out here, but the weather out here is pretty nice and settled.

Lots of haze from Canadian forest fires, but otherwise, it's bright and mostly storm-free, a welcome respite from the incessant rain and flooding in the Great Plains.

Back in Vermont, it's another story. Nothing dire will happen, but if you were expecting fine early summer weather as June opened, you are sadly disappointed. The chilly, gloomy May seems to want to continue into June.

A strong and unusually cold storm system for this time of year is affecting the North Country, and with it comes some unpleasant weather.

The Storm Prediction Center has southern Vermont in a slight risk zone for severe thunderstorms today and northern Vermont in a marginal risk zone.  While you should keep an eye to the sky today and seek shelter if there's any storms coming, this won't be a widespread outbreak of severe weather.

There wasn't much sun this morning to destabilize the atmosphere, for one thing. Breaks of sun and slightly warmer temperatures south of Route 4 will make that region the most likely target of severe storms. That would mean gusty winds, small hail, dangerous lightning and nasty downpours here and there today.

Northern Vermont has the same type of thing, but slightly less widespread storms than the south. But even there, strong gusty winds and small hail could accompany some storms. There is some wind shear, which means that wind direction is changing with height, so that could encourage some storms.

To be on the safe side, definitely go inside a sturdy building if a severe thunderstorm warning pops up.

Most if not all of Vermont will get some decent rains out of this. Some rain came last night, and there's a solid band of rain in New York State that will come through today. The storm's cold front will come through in several pieces this afternoon and evening.

The upper level storm associated with this storm will move overhead tomorrow. Which will make the weather interesting enough. It will be awfully cold for June. High temperatures will only get into the 50s, with maybe some upper 40s in the higher elevations.

Those temperatures are typical for April, not June.

The sun is just about as strong as you can get this time of year. It's only a couple weeks before the Summer Solstice, so the sun angle is intense. That means the sun will try to heat the Earth's surface, but it will be March-like cold several thousand feet up.

That's a recipe for billowing clouds and showers, with even a few thunderstorms. Since air temperatures will be below freezing just several thousand feet overhead, it will be easy for small hail to make it to the ground, too. So don't be surprised if it hails amid Monday's chill if you get hit by a particularly intense shower.

I also wouldn't be surprised if some snowflakes land on the high peaks of the Green Mountains, Adirondacks and White Mountains on Monday. It will be that cold. By the way, it's been such a chilly spring that as of this morning, there was still nine inches of snow atop of Mount Mansfield this morning, and the Killington Ski Area is still open. The ski area closes for the season at the end of the day today.

Since Monday will be as cold as it can get for June, it's only uphill from there. Luckily, despite Monday's chill,  frost is unlikely Monday night and early Tuesday, except in the cold hollows of the Northeast Kingdom and Adirondacks.

Tuesday will be dry, but cool for this time of year, with highs in the upper 50s and 60s. Still, brrrr.  With this long stretch of cold weather, the tomato plants you put in the garden won't be doing so great, but what can you do?

A warm front will come in Tuesday night and Wednesday with more showers. At least by the end of the week, it looks like temperatures won't be summer like, necessarily, but it will get into the 70s, which isn't too far from normal for this time of year.

One complication: a back door cold front might come down from eastern Canada, which would hold temperatures in the cool 60s instead next weekend. We'll have to wait and see.

So far there are no signs of any real summer weather at least through mid-June.