Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Burlington, VT
Issued by NWS Burlington, VT
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478 FXUS61 KBTV 112344 AFDBTV Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Burlington VT 644 PM EST Tue Nov 11 2025 .SYNOPSIS... A wintry weather pattern will continue through the week with light snow accumulations and terrain-driven heavier showers at times. Moderation in temperatures will support some lower elevation rain, but mostly snow can be expected. Precipitation chances will dwindle late in the week before a more widespread, mixed precipitation type event arrives on Sunday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... As of 225 PM EST Tuesday...It has been a snowy day across most of northern New York and Vermont as a large, negatively-tilted trough with anomalous cold (below the 10th percentile at the mid and low levels of the atmosphere) crosses the area. Satellite imagery shows spokes of deeper moisture filling in southward from southern Quebec, which will persist through this evening until the trough axis shifts far enough to the east to likewise shut off the snow machine. The trend towards more snow showers, and steadier mountain snow, through the evening hours across central and eastern Vermont, and less across northern New York and the Champlain Valley, is on track. This pattern will be tied to increasing 850-925 millibar winds and precipitation making it over the mountain summits with increasing Froude numbers. The strongly meridional upper air pattern seems to be competing against the cross- barrier low level flow, but this evening northwest flow of roughly 290 degrees should support the more typical terrain-driven heavier snowfall. Through midnight we`re looking at 1 to 2 inches of fresh snow in much of northern Vermont aside from southeastern areas, except 2 to 4 inches near the Green Mountain spine and mid-slope areas of the Northeast Kingdom. Have continued areas of blowing snow for a broad area of northern New York and Vermont, with greatest risk for travelers in mountain passes. Sustained winds and gusts look marginally supportive of blowing of falling snow, but likely not sufficient for any drifting snow. Strongest gusts will peak this evening. Highest values in the 30 to 35 MPH range is expected in much of Clinton and Essex counties in New York, and near northern Lake Champlain/Grand Isle County. Tonight, mainly after midnight, attention turns to a robust lake response to the next shortwave trough currently digging southeastward over southern Ontario. The associated mid-level trough axis will move into the eastern Great Lakes region with a Lake Erie to Lake Ontario connection in a lake-parallel band. This scenario is conducive to heavy snowfall rates. Thankfully, timing of this heavy snow for St. Lawrence County looks well before the morning commute, but expected localized inch per hour snowfall with a few inches quickly accumulating before winding down as the band pivots towards the northwest with time, into southeastern Ontario. Towards daybreak, snow showers should blossom farther east in the Adirondacks and northern Vermont in response to the incoming trough. Temperatures have trended a touch lower to support less of a rain mix even in the lower elevations, but a wet snow with temperatures above freezing will take pretty heavy snowfall rates to accumulate during the daytime hours. Think the bulk of the steadier, occasionally moderate snowfall rates of 0.5"/hour, will be primarily in the Adirondacks tomorrow and otherwise confined to areas near the mountains in Vermont compared to today. Tomorrow night additional snowfall may be enhanced by favorable upslope as the trough axis shifts once again to our east with blocked westerly flow and quite saturated low level air. For now we have most accumulations in the mountains but western slopes, and even into the valleys, will need to watch for a period of snow showers late tomorrow night which could impact the Thursday morning commute. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... As of 225 PM EST Tuesday...Yet another active day is expected. There will be more winter weather conditions at a sub-advisory level as we remain in cyclonic flow amidst a sufficiently cold air mass for mainly snow. The next shortwave trough to approach from the Great Lakes will cross the region during the day, hence high (60-100%) PoPs for northern New York and Vermont. As in recent days, a lot of westerly low level flow will limit precipitation east of the central/southern Green Mountains and the western Champlain Valley, but elsewhere numerous snow showers can be expected. Have continued to trend temperatures a little lower than the NBM, which is contaminated by bias- correction from a milder weather pattern over the previous couple of months. Raw model guidance suggest temperatures should remain marginally cool enough to support mainly snow as the precipitation again even at the lower elevations, with perhaps localized exceptions. Highest chances for snow showers will tend to be in the morning, although persistent moisture and lift will keep some snow in the forecast through Thursday night. Probabilities of at least 1" of new snowfall during this period are strongly terrain-driven, with current indications evolving from blocked to critical flow during the period; along with ample low level moisture, upslope snow is guaranteed through Thursday evening before some top-down drying occurs. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 115 PM EST Tuesday...Unsettled weather is expected to continue as we head through the weekend into the beginning of next week. Lingering upslope showers will continue on Friday, bringing some additional snowfall accumulations to the more favored locations. Temperatures on Friday will continue to be on the cool side, with highs only climbing into the 30s to low 40s areawide. Showers will continue to taper off heading into Saturday, where a brief period of drier, although chilly, weather can be expected for much of the day before the next system approaches the region. The main focus of this time period will be a complex low moving across the Great Lakes into the region late Saturday into the day Sunday. Guidance continues to support the idea of some wintry mix and some freezing rain potential as the warm front lifts across the region, especially across eastern Vermont where colder air is more apt to remain at the surface. Precipitation will largely fall as rain across much of the region by Sunday afternoon, with the exception of some of the higher terrain, although we may quickly transition back over to snowfall as the low exits with showers lingering through Monday and possibly into Tuesday. As with any mixed precipitation event, there is still some uncertainty at this point in regards to the exact timing and precipitation type for any location, but guidance has been consistent enough to include some of the wintry mix wording in the forecast this afternoon. Be sure to monitor the forecast as we get closer, especially if you may be on the road. Temperatures will continue to on the cool side during this period, with daytime highs generally in the 30s and low 40s and overnight lows generally in the 20s. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Through 00Z Thursday...Generally MVFR-VFR conditons due to CIGS with some still remaining -SHSN at near mountain airports. A brief period of drier conditions is expected with improving conditions before additional showers and MVFR conditions return towards 12Z. West winds 10-20 kts will diminish to 5-10 kts and shift to SW-S by 12z Wed. Outlook... Wednesday Night: MVFR/IFR conditions possible. Definite SHRA, Definite SHSN. Thursday: Mainly MVFR, with local IFR possible. Likely SHSN, Chance SHRA. Thursday Night: Mainly MVFR, with areas VFR possible. Chance SHSN. Friday: Mainly VFR, with areas MVFR possible. Chance SHSN. Friday Night: Mainly VFR, with areas MVFR possible. Slight chance SHSN. Saturday: Mainly VFR, with local MVFR possible. NO SIG WX. Saturday Night: Mainly VFR, with local MVFR possible. Chance SN, Chance FZRA. Sunday: Mainly IFR, with local MVFR possible. Likely RA, Likely FZRA, Likely SN. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...None. NY...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Kutikoff NEAR TERM...Kutikoff SHORT TERM...Kutikoff LONG TERM...Kremer AVIATION...Kremer/SLW