EAST HARDWICK – Conditions remained largely hot and humid this past week as we remained under the influence of an upper-level low with multiple waves serving as the focus for slow-moving scattered showers and thunderstorms. The variability in thunderstorm location and rainfall amounts is reflected in this week’s rainfall observations, which we draw from the Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS). A reporting station on the southwest side of Wolcott came in with two and a half inches of rain (2.51 inches) this week, while a West Woodbury station less than 10 miles away report 0.15 inches in the same period. Here in East Hardwick, we were somewhere on the lower end with a total of 0.56 inches for the period.
The hyper-local variation in rainfall amounts did lead to some areas of flash flooding concerns on the afternoon and evening of Thursday, July 10, the day which for the past two years has historically brough flash flooding to northern Vermont; although the last two times were widespread. Just to the north and east of the NEK’s gateway, some parts of Sutton and West Burke saw significant washouts and property damage from an area of rainfall estimated by radar and reported by the public to be upwards of five inches of rain due to stalled and training thunderstorms. To show you how powerful this was on a small scale, nearby official reporting stations in Sheffield and Wheelock had under two inches of rain in their gauges.
This week will feature a couple more rounds of showers and thunderstorms, the first of which arrives with the passage of a frontal system late Wednesday night and Thursday. As this system works its way through, we remain under the influence of hot and humid conditions, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. There does remain that isolated risk of flash flooding with any torrential downpours. Slightly drier air and cooler conditions settle in by Friday afternoon and last through the end of Saturday, before another influx of moisture approaches on a low-pressure wave for Sunday. Rain chances will increase throughout the day, although there is a bit of model discrepancy as to when that rain will arrive. Conditions will otherwise be mostly cloudy and more humid with seasonable temperatures. Now on to the forecast:
Wednesday: Mostly sunny with increasing clouds. Showers and thunderstorms possible overnight. High: 92. Low: 67. Wind southwest around 5 mph.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy. Rain likely in the morning, then showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. High: 85. Low: 60. Wind south 5-10 mph.
Friday: Areas of fog and clouds in the morning, becoming mostly sunny by afternoon. High: 77. Low: 53. Wind northwest 5-10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. High: 81. Low: 58. Light and variable wind.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. High: 82. Low: 59. Wind south 10-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph.
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.
