Weather Forecast

Extended Forecast  |  Significant/Hazardous Weather  |  Recreational Forecast  |  Detailed Discussion  |  Farm & Garden  |  Wind by Elevation  |  Temperature by Elevation

Detailed Forecast

Today:
Sunshine, mixed with high clouds, increasing west this afternoon. A chance of snow late in NY. Not as cold. Highs in the upper teens northeast, to the low and mid 20s west and south. Winds light, becoming south near 10 mph from the Green Mountains west.

Tonight:
Snow developing from Rt. 4 north this evening, becoming moderate at times, 3 to 6 inches, mostly after midnight south, 1 to 3 inches. Lows in the teens, from near 10 northeast, to low 20s southwest. Winds south 10 to 15 mph, remaining light in wind-sheltered valley east of the Green Mountains.

Tuesday:
Snow tapering off west to east. Another dusting to 2 inches, mostly east. Some partial afternoon clearing, mostly in the valleys south. Highs in the 20s to low 30s, warmest south. Light winds, becoming north 5 to 10 mph.

Extended Forecast

Tuesday Night:
Christmas Eve: Gradual clearing and cold. Cold. Lows 5 to 15, a few cold spots north near zero. Winds light and variable.

Wednesday:
Christmas Day: Sunshine, mixed with some clouds. Highs in the 20s to low 30s. Winds variable to north less than 10 mph.

Wednesday Night:
Becoming partly cloudy. Lows near 10 above.

Thursday:
A mix of sun and clouds. Highs from the low to mid 20s north, to the low and mid 30s south.

Thursday Night:
Partly cloudy north, more clear south. Lows 5 to 15.

Friday:
A mix of sun and clouds. Highs from the low to mid 20s north, to the low and mid 30s south.

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Significant/Hazardous Weather

Periods of snow will create winter driving conditions this evening through Tuesday morning, with Winter Weather Advisories from the northern Adirondacks and Rt. 2, then 302 north, tonight into midday Tuesday. Extra caution is urged.

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Recreational Forecast

Mountain Forecast:
The summits today will start with some sun, mixing with high clouds, gradually lowering this afternoon. West to southwest winds freshening to moderate, and temperatures warming several degrees. On Tuesday, the summits begin obscured in clouds and snow, gradually diminishing through the day, with the cloud bases lifting during the afternoon. Light to moderate northwest winds becoming more northerly, and temperatures continuing to warm a bit more. The outlook for Wednesday, Christmas Day, calls for lots of sunshine, a few clouds, and light west to southwest winds.

Wind At Lower Elevations:
Winds today light, becoming south near 10 mph from the Green Mountains west. Tonight, winds south 10 to 15 mph, remaining light in wind-sheltered valley east of the Green Mountains. On Tuesday, light winds, becoming north 5 to 10 mph. The outlook for Wednesday, Christmas, calls for light winds, mainly north less than 10 mph.

For more details on Lake Champlain, go to: https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=BTV&product=REC&issuedby=BTV

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Detailed Discussion

Although the near to subzero temperatures are not unexpected in December, our past two very mild winters have rarely seen this kind of cold, so there’s no doubt most of us are feeling this chill this morning. Modified arctic high pressure has drifted from the eastern Great Lakes yesterday, settling right over New England this morning. It delivered ineffective sunshine yesterday, temperatures stuck in the single digits and teens, before falling below zero nearly everywhere last night. A few warm spots south and near Lake Champlain stayed in plus territory, while teens below are found in the usual cold spots, the coldest report -22 at Saranac Lake, where it has already started to creep back up, thanks to a shield of high clouds arriving from the west. They are the calling card of our next clipper-type system – a fast-moving, moisture-starved system that will spread another episode of snow over us this evening into tomorrow. It fits with our notions of Christmas weather – a fluffy coating on the existing snowcover for a classic White Christmas of song and story. We find this storm currently over northern Iowa, on a track that sends it through Michigan by ate today, and into western NY at this time tomorrow morning. Importantly, this storm will strengthen during the next 24 hours, as well as gather a modest amount of moisture from the Great Lakes, enough to produce a general 3 to 6 inches of snow north, 1 to 3 inches south, locally up to 8 inches in the St. Lawrence Valley and northwest VT. This qualifies for Winter Weather Advisories from the northern Adirondacks and Rt. 2, then 302 north, tonight into midday Tuesday. The snow arrives first through the St. Lawrence and Adirondacks this evening, spreading through areas north of Rt. 4 initially, then expanding south later tonight and continuing into Tuesday morning. True to its name, the storm races to our east by tomorrow afternoon, allowing the snow to diminish. Unlike the previous system, which ushered in the current blast of arctic air, much of Canada has been emptied of this early cold, which means more seasonable temperatures follow for Christmas Day on through the end of the week, starting with high pressure developing over Quebec, well north of the storm, and a second area of high pressure of the storm, blending together and then lingering over us through Saturday. The generally clear skies and light winds with this high will tend to trap some of the cold air in the lower atmosphere, so that the mountains will end up as mild, perhaps milder than the valleys. Eventually the sun, although at its weakest, should slowly moderate the temperatures, with a warming trend into the weekend.

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Farm & Garden

Rainfall Forecast:
The Farm and Garden forecasts will resume in April of 2025.

Drying Conditions:
The Farm and Garden forecasts will resume in April of 2025.

Frost:
The Farm and Garden forecasts will resume in April of 2025.

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Wind by Elevation

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Temperature by Elevation

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