HARDWICK – It’s Thursday, Dec. 12, as this weather summary for 2024 is given careful reflection for what will be memorable from this year of fluctuating conditions. Even the last 24 hours has demonstrated variability, as two and a half inches of rain ended with a few inches of snow.
This quick dousing of precipitation started in the form of freezing rain, with slushy and slippery conditions starting out the day on Wednesday, December 11. This resulted in school closings and delays region wide. The original concern from the threat of flooding quickly dissipated as temperatures failed to warm much past 40 degrees, limiting the amount of runoff.
Preparations were taken by local town agencies, however, as history has a tendency to repeat itself. Approximately this time last year, a rapid thaw and heavy rain caused the Lamoille River to reach its fifth highest crest on December 19, 2023, at the Johnson river gauge.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
2024’s historical pattern followed 2023 to a T when it came to flooding in the summer. July 11, 2024, was the fourth highest crest on the Lamoille River in Johnson at 17.82 feet. While falling short of the previous year’s historic crest, troubles upstream on the watershed were still being felt as rescue crews staged in Hardwick village, evacuating residents in the low-lying areas of Granite Street and Brook Street who were experiencing flooding. Rescue Inc.’s swift water rescue team assisted local crews in the evacuation.
Concern existed briefly that the Cottage Street bridge spanning the Lamoille River would be destroyed. Upstream condemned buildings from last year’s flood dangled precariously over the newer wave of flood waters eroding the ground underneath. Damage was seen further north in the headwaters and smaller tributaries, where multiple bridges were taken out by debris from downed trees.
Some of the worst damage from this round of flooding was in the village of Plainfield, where residents are presently still cleaning up from the effects of the flood. Roads such as the Brook Road sustained substantial damage from sharp rises on the Great Brook, and changes to the landscape are visible on a quick Google Maps search.
Our rapid accumulation of rainfall in this weather event resulted from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl, which moved inward over the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys in early July. 24-hour rainfall amounts ranged from 3.2 inches in Craftsbury to 4.52 inches in Cabot. This followed a narrow 3- to 5-inch band of rainfall across north-central Vermont from thunderstorms passing over the same areas multiple times, with most of the rain falling in the afternoon and overnight hours on July 10 to July 11. This is also the area that had seen upwards of seven inches of rain in the preceding three weeks.
July 10 also featured the second time this year that Vermont was under a tornado watch due to environmental conditions being favorable for tornado development. This often happens in the presence of decaying tropical cyclones. The first tornado watch of the season was issued on Sunday, June 23, as a prefrontal trough, warm and moist air, and favorable wind shear dynamics created mechanisms favorable for severe weather development. Scattered wind damage was reported in both events. No tornadoes were confirmed in Vermont this year.
Repetitive rainfall events continued to elevate the flood threat for the next several weeks although no additional severe flooding occurred locally. The pattern then quickly shifted to drought conditions as September and October rainfall amounts totaled 4.5 to 5 inches. Average rainfall for this time of year is about eight inches. The largest concern during that time was a persistently high fire danger, which led to long-term burn bans across the state. Precipitation amounts increased slightly for November and early December, but the area remains in a moderate drought. Total rainfall for the year will end around 50” of precipitation, which is above normal.
A relatively dry and mediocre period from January to March was observed with only a few moderate-impact snowfall events. The heaviest snow of the season fell between April 3 and April 5, with reports of 17 inches of snow region wide. The snow was heavy and dense due to the transition to spring. Both February and March made the top ten list for warmest monthly temperature averages in Burlington.
The forecast for the rest of the winter appears to feature above normal temperatures again with equal chances for above-normal, near-normal, and below-normal precipitation. While the rest of 2025’s forecast remains to be seen, many hope the summer weather for the year ahead is less volatile.
Tyler is our weather reporter and a community journalist. He works as a nurse and EMT, volunteers with Hardwick Rescue and helps to train new EMTs.
