BURLINGTON, Vt. – A gradual warmup is set to begin across Vermont and northern New York on Monday, with temperatures climbing above freezing and reaching the mid to upper 30s by Tuesday. Some communities could even approach 40 degrees by Tuesday afternoon.
Before the milder air fully arrives, however, a light round of snow showers is possible overnight, mainly across the Champlain Valley (CPV) and the Adirondacks. Forecasters say any accumulation will be limited, with a dusting to as much as a half-inch in localized spots.
The light snow is expected to taper off as temperatures begin to rise Monday morning. Most valley locations, including Burlington, Plattsburgh and Middlebury, will see readings climb above freezing during the day. Higher elevations such as Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and the Green Mountains may hold onto colder temperatures a bit longer, but even those areas are expected to trend milder through Tuesday.
By Monday night, another round of showers is expected to move through the region. As temperatures continue to warm, precipitation in the valleys will likely fall as rain. Communities along the Lake Champlain shoreline and lower elevations of Addison, Chittenden and Franklin counties should mainly see rain showers.
In the Adirondacks and higher terrain of central and eastern Vermont, there could be a brief mix of rain and snow at the onset Monday night before transitioning primarily to rain as temperatures inch upward. Roads may be slick overnight where light snow accumulates before the changeover, especially in untreated or less-traveled areas.
Daytime highs Tuesday are forecast to reach the mid-30s to near 40 degrees in Burlington, Montpelier, Rutland, St. Albans and Springfield. Even traditionally colder spots such as Newport and Saint Johnsbury are expected to climb into the mid-30s.
While widespread impacts are not anticipated, motorists should remain cautious late tonight and early Monday morning for patchy slick spots. Conditions are expected to improve during the day Monday as temperatures rise above freezing and precipitation becomes lighter and more scattered.
Residents are encouraged to monitor the latest forecast updates as temperatures fluctuate and additional showers move through early this week.
