Burlington, Vermont – Roads across central and southern Vermont will begin turning slick after 7 p.m. Thursday as a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain spreads north, threatening the Thursday night and early Friday commutes along I-89 and US-7. Even light snowfall amounts will quickly become hazardous once ice begins to glaze untreated pavement.
According to the National Weather Service in Burlington, a Winter Weather Advisory runs from 7 p.m. Thursday until 1 p.m. Friday for much of central and southern Vermont and portions of northern New York. Snow and sleet accumulations up to 1 inch are expected, with ice accretion reaching 0.20 to 0.23 inches in parts of Rutland, Windsor, and Bennington counties. Areas near Glens Falls and the eastern Adirondacks could see around 0.16 inches of ice.
In Burlington and along the Champlain Valley, snowfall totals will remain lighter, generally a coating to a few tenths of an inch, but periods of freezing rain may create patchy black ice on bridges and elevated sections of I-89. Montpelier and Stowe could see around 0.3 to 0.4 inches of snow before mixing reduces totals. Farther south, Springfield and Brattleboro face a higher risk of measurable icing before daybreak Friday.
Travelers should slow down, increase following distance, and allow extra time for both the late Thursday drive and the Friday morning commute. Keep phones charged and check Vermont Agency of Transportation road conditions before heading out.
Precipitation tapers by early Friday afternoon, but temperatures hovering near freezing could keep untreated roads slick into midday. Additional advisories may be issued if ice totals trend higher overnight.
