869  
FXUS61 KBTV 161136  
AFDBTV  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT  
636 AM EST MON DEC 16 2024  
   
SYNOPSIS
 
 
RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AS LIGHT  
SNOW COMES TO A CLOSE TODAY. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SOME DRIZZLE  
THIS EVENING ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN VERMONT. BE AWARE OF  
TEMPERATURES FOR THE EVENING COMMUTE AS DRIZZLE SHIFTS INTO THE  
REGION. STRONG SOUTHERLY GUSTS WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT OVER THE  
NORTHERN SLOPES OF THE ADIRONDACKS AND IN THE NORTHERN CHAMPLAIN  
VALLEY, WHERE GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED. PERIODS OF  
RAIN SHOWERS ON TUESDAY WILL TRANSITION TO LAKE EFFECT LATER IN  
THE EVENING. SEVERAL FAST MOVING WEATHER DISTURBANCES WILL  
TRAVERSE THE REGION THROUGHOUT THE WEEK WITH ADDITIONAL RAIN AND  
SNOW CHANCES.  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/
 
 
AS OF 632 AM EST MONDAY...THE LAST GASP OF SNOW IS CURRENTLY  
LINGERING IN THE NORTHERN CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. WEATHER CONDITIONS  
TODAY WILL BE FAIRLY QUIET FOLLOWED BY INCREASINGLY BREEZY  
WINDS. A FEW GUSTS UP TO 20 TO 25 ARE LIKELY, WITH PERHAPS SOME  
TO 30 NEAR LAKE CHAMPLAIN. TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB INTO THE MID  
30S TO MID 40S ACROSS THE REGION.  
 
THE TRICKY PART THIS EVENING IS HOW MUCH COOL AIR REMAINS LOCKED IN  
EASTERN VERMONT AS MARITIME MOISTURE TRACKS NORTHWARDS. TEMPERATURES  
COULD BE HOVERING AROUND THE FREEZING MARK LATER THIS EVENING, AND  
DEPENDING ON HOW EARLY LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE ARRIVES, THERE COULD BE A  
FEW POCKETS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE. FOR NOW, WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR  
TRENDS AND HOW WARM TEMPERATURES GET.  
 
OVERNIGHT, A STRONG 55-65 KNOT LOW-LEVEL JET WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE  
REGION. THIS SHOULD PROMOTE INCREASING GUSTS OVERNIGHT.  
PROBABILISTIC GUIDANCE FROM THE HREF IS SURPRISINGLY AGGRESSIVE,  
INDICATING 70-100 PERCENT PROBABILITIES OF GUSTS GREATER THAN 50  
MPH. HOWEVER, FORECAST SOUNDINGS ARE EITHER NEUTRAL OR FEATURE AN  
INVERSION BELOW THE CORE OF STRONGEST WINDS THAT IS BELOW RIDGE  
TOPS. ANALYZING CROSS SECTIONS OF DOWNSLOPE REGIONS DOES NOT APPEAR  
TO MATCH SIGNALS FOR MOUNTAIN WAVE BREAKING. CROSS SECTIONS  
HIGHLIGHT THE DOWNSLOPE WINDS WELL, BUT DEEP MOISTURE IS ALREADY IN  
PLACE WHERE WE ARE USUALLY LOOKING FOR DRY SUBSIDENCE, AND  
PRECIPITATION LOOKS TO ARRIVE WITH THE JET FORMATION. THE  
FORECAST WILL SOMEWHAT RELY ON HAVING THE JET DEVELOP AS WELL.  
A DELAY IN ITS DEVELOPMENT BEFORE IT LIFTS NORTH COULD LEAVE US  
LESS WINDY AS WELL. THE SHORT OF IT IS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL  
FORECAST INDICATORS THAT SUGGEST KEEPING THINGS FROM GUSTING TOO  
STRONGLY. PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL ALLOW FOR STRONG CHANNELING  
IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY WITH SOME DOWNSLOPE ENHANCEMENT THAT  
PLACES AN EXPECTED FORECAST OF 35 TO 45 MPH GUSTS IN THE  
NORTHERN CHAMPLAIN VALLEY AND NORTHERN SLOPES OF THE  
ADIRONDACKS. THERE COULD BE A LOCALIZED GUST TO 50 AT COMMON  
TROUBLE SPOTS LIKE MALONE, ELLENBURG, AND THE MILTON SANDBAR.  
WILL GIVE ANOTHER CYCLE TO ASSESS WHETHER HEADLINES ARE NEEDED.  
ANY INCREASE IN LOW-LEVEL INSTABILITY OR LOWERING OF WHERE THE  
STRONGEST WINDS ARE LOCATED WOULD NECESSITATE HEADLINES.  
 
THE PRECIPITATION ASPECT OF THIS REMAINS UNCHANGED. A BRIEF  
CONVERGENCE OF FAVORABLE INGREDIENTS FOR PRECIPITATION SHOULD  
PRODUCE 0.10-0.50" WITH LOCALLY MORE OR LESS DEPENDING ON TERRAIN.  
RAIN IS GOING TO RACE EAST, AND WILL BE OUT OF HERE BY TUESDAY  
MORNING. AFTERWARDS, WE WILL AGAIN NEED TO WATCH GUSTS. RISING  
HEIGHTS BEHIND THE FRONT AND THE PRESENCE OF 50 KNOT WINDS AROUND  
3500-4500 FEET WILL BEAR SOME WATCHING. THERE COULD BE ANOTHER  
WINDOW FOR STRONG WINDS BEFORE THINGS SETTLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. SOME  
LAKE EFFECT SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP, BUT A LACK OF COOL AIR WILL  
KEEP LAPSE RATES RELATIVELY LOW. TEMPERATURES WILL STILL BE IN  
THE 40S FOR MOST ON TUESDAY, BUT NOT FEELING PLEASANT WITH GUSTY  
SOUTHWEST WINDS.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/
 
 
AS OF 313 AM EST MONDAY...WE'VE GOT A BRIEF BREAK IN THE ACTIVE  
WEATHER PATTERN TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS THE FRONTAL SYSTEM  
WILL QUICKLY BE RACING EASTWARD. DIMINISHING WINDS AND RAIN CHANCES  
WILL BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE TUESDAY NIGHT PERIOD. SLIGHTLY COOLER  
TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S  
TO LOWER 40S DUE TO A COMBINATION OF WEAK COLD ADVECTION AND A  
PLETHORA OF CLOUD COVER. WE WILL BEGIN TO SEE PRECIPITATION CHANCES  
INCREASE CLOSE TO SUNSET ON WEDNESDAY ACROSS NORTHERN NEW YORK AS A  
MORE AMPLIFIED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND STRONGER COLD FRONT DEVELOP  
ACROSS THE REGION. MORE ON THIS IN THE LONG TERM SECTIONS BELOW.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/
 
 
AS OF 313 AM EST MONDAY...A FAST MOVING STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO  
BRING A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW TO THE NORTH COUNTRY WEDNESDAY NIGHT  
THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. THIS SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE ON THE TRICKY  
SIDE FOR TWO REASONS. ONE, THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING  
AROUND 50 MPH WHICH WILL LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT PRECIPITATION  
WILL FALL ACROSS THE REGION. TWO, THE THERMAL PROFILES FOR THIS  
EVENT ARE GOING TO BE ON THE MARGINAL SIDE FOR BOTH RAIN AND SNOW.  
LET'S TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT THE THERMAL PROFILES TO GET A BETTER  
UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY  
ARE BOTH EXPECTED TO BE WELL ABOVE FREEZING ACROSS THE REGION WHICH  
STARTS US OFF ABOVE FREEZING WHICH IS ALWAYS A RECIPE FOR TRICKY  
PRECIPITATION TYPE AND AMOUNTS. GIVEN STRONG UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS  
WITH GOOD UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE, WE SHOULD SEE IMPRESSIVE WET-  
BULBING AT THE ONSET OF PRECIPITATION WHICH MAY BE ENOUGH TO SWITCH  
PRECIPITATION TYPE TO SNOW IN SOME LOCATIONS ALTHOUGH TEMPERATURES  
WILL INITIALLY BE ABOVE FREEZING. STRONG COLD ADVECTION ALOFT IN THE  
MID-LEVELS WILL QUICKLY OVERSPREAD THE NORTH COUNTRY WEDNESDAY NIGHT  
ALLOWING FOR MID-LEVEL AND SURFACE TEMPERATURES TO RAPIDLY COOL  
ALLOWING FOR MORE PRECIPITATION TO CHANGE OVER TO RAIN.  
 
AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS, LIKE MOUNT MANSFIELD, WE WILL SEE MORE SNOW  
THAN RAIN GIVEN THE COLD ADVECTION ALOFT HAPPENS WELL BEFORE THE  
BOUNDARY LAYER. GIVEN THE ABOVE INFORMATION, WE ARE CONFIDENT MOST  
PLACES WILL SEE ACCUMULATING SNOW BUT THE AMOUNT REMAINS IN  
QUESTION. IN PREVIOUS EVENTS WHERE WE ARE WAITING ON THE COLD  
ADVECTION TO HELP CHANGE RAIN TO SNOW, WE TYPICALLY WASTE SOME OF  
THE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS (QPF) IN THAT TRANSITION PERIOD WHICH CUTS  
OUR SNOW TOTALS. IN ADDITION, ISOTHERMAL LOW-LEVEL THERMAL PROFILES  
AROUND 30-32 DEGREES WILL LIKELY LEAD TO A 8-1 TO 10-1 SNOW RATIO.  
AS IT STANDS NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE SNOW AMOUNTS MAY STAY JUST BELOW  
ADVISORY LEVEL BUT IT'S POSSIBLE A FEW PLACES COULD SEE 3-5" OF SNOW  
BELOW 1500 FT WITH SUMMITS POSSIBLY PICKING UP 8 TO 12 INCHES OF  
FRESH SNOW.  
 
THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF THROUGH THE MORNING  
HOURS ON THURSDAY BUT A NICE SET-UP FOR A BACKSIDE BONUS OF UPSLOPE  
SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE GREEN AND ADIRONDACK  
MOUNTAINS LOOKS LIKELY. OTHER THAN A CHANCE FOR SOME SNOW SHOWERS ON  
FRIDAY, THE FORECAST THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK LOOKS RATHER QUIET BUT  
WILL BE ON THE COLD SIDE. HIGHS IN THE TEENS AND LOWS IN THE SINGLE  
DIGITS ABOVE AND BELOW ZERO LOOK LIKELY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
 
 
THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY...CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SOME POCKETS OF  
2100-3000 FT AGL CEILINGS AT KMSS AND KSLK. THERE COULD BE  
ADDITIONAL MVFR CEILINGS THAT REACH KMPV AT TIMES, BUT THERE  
SHOULD BE LITTLE CHANGE OVER THE NEXT 6 TO 9 HOURS. SOUTH TO  
SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL SLOWLY RAMP UP. AREAS LIKE KMSS WILL HOLD  
ONTO A NORTHEAST OR EAST WIND THOUGH. BY 18Z-21Z, WINDS WILL  
TREND TOWARDS 7 TO 12 KNOTS SUSTAINED WITH GUSTS 16 TO 22 KNOTS  
LIKELY, IN ADDITION TO SOUTH WINDS AT 2000 FT AGL INCREASING TO  
45 TO 55 KNOTS. LLWS IS LIKELY AT ALL TERMINALS OVERNIGHT.  
AROUND 06Z TO 12Z, WINDS COULD BE AROUND 12 TO 19 KNOTS  
SUSTAINED AND GUSTING 20 TO 30 KNOTS. AFTER 00Z, DRIZZLE WILL  
BE POSSIBLE, MAINLY IN EASTERN VERMONT AT KMPV, AND THEN MORE  
WIDESPREAD RAIN WILL QUICKLY SHIFT EAST BETWEEN 02Z AND 10Z  
TUESDAY. 4-6SM VISIBILITY WILL BE POSSIBLE, IN ADDITION TO  
LOWERING CEILINGS TO 800-2000 FT AGL.  
 
OUTLOOK...  
 
TUESDAY: MAINLY VFR, WITH AREAS MVFR POSSIBLE. WINDY WITH GUSTS  
TO 30 KT. SLIGHT CHANCE SHRA.  
TUESDAY NIGHT: MAINLY VFR, WITH LOCAL MVFR POSSIBLE. NO SIG WX.  
WEDNESDAY: MAINLY VFR, WITH AREAS MVFR POSSIBLE. CHANCE RA,  
CHANCE SN.  
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: MAINLY MVFR, WITH AREAS IFR POSSIBLE. DEFINITE  
SN, LIKELY SHSN, DEFINITE RA.  
THURSDAY: MAINLY MVFR, WITH LOCAL IFR POSSIBLE. CHANCE SHSN.  
THURSDAY NIGHT: MAINLY VFR, WITH LOCAL MVFR POSSIBLE. NO SIG WX.  
FRIDAY: MVFR. CHANCE SHSN.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
SOUTH WINDS 15 TO 30 KNOTS ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE NEXT 12  
TO 18 HOURS OVER LAKE CHAMPLAIN. AFTER MIDNIGHT, WINDS ARE  
EXPECTED TO INCREASED TO 25 TO 35 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS  
45 KNOTS POSSIBLE. WAVES WILL BE ANYWHERE FROM 1 TO 5 FEET  
TODAY. DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, WAVES ON THE BROAD WATERS MAY  
BRIEFLY INCREASE TOWARDS 5 TO 7 FEET AS GUSTS OF 45 KNOTS  
DEVELOP. WINDS WILL DECREASE TOWARDS 10 TO 20 KNOTS AS THEY  
SHIFT SOUTHWESTERLY.  
 

 
   
EQUIPMENT
 
 
PLATTSBURGH ASOS IS MISSING VISIBILITY IN REPORTS AND IS  
AWAITING A PART TO FIX THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY  
UNAVAILABLE UNTIL FEBRUARY 1.  
 

 
   
BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
VT...NONE.  
NY...NONE.  
 

 
 

 
SYNOPSIS...HAYNES  
NEAR TERM...HAYNES  
SHORT TERM...CLAY  
LONG TERM...CLAY  
AVIATION...HAYNES  
MARINE...TEAM BTV  
EQUIPMENT...TEAM BTV  
 
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