| Episode Narrative |
Low pressure developed across the lower Mississippi river valley on the morning of the 13th and moved into the central Appalachians by the early morning hours of the 14th. During the early morning hours of the 14th, a coastal low quickly developed near the Delmarva peninsula and rapidly intensified, as it moved northeast across southeast Massachusetts and into the Gulf of Maine by the evening of the 14th.|Snow moved into southern Vermont around midnight on the 14th, then overspread the rest of Vermont during the early morning hours. Snow fell heavy at times from late morning through early afternoon in southern Vermont and early afternoon through early evening elsewhere, before dissipating during the night. Snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour and brisk winds of 15 to 25 mph caused near whiteout conditions at times, along with considerable blowing and drifting of the snow, making roads nearly impassable. Further, temperatures in the single numbers above zero combined with these brisk winds created wind chill values of 10 degrees below zero or colder. |Snowfall totals ranged from 15 to 25 inches in the Connecticut river valley to 20 to 35 inches elsewhere across Vermont. The National Weather Service office in South Burlington set an all-time record 24 hour snowfall of 25.3 inches, breaking the old mark of 23.1 inches set on January 14, 1934. In addition, the storm total of 25.7 inches was the 2nd heaviest storm total snowfall on record, behind the 29.8 inches received on December 25th through 28th, 1969.|Some specific snowfall totals include; 15 inches in South Hero (Grand Isle), 16 inches in Chester (Windsor), Swanton and Enosburg Falls (Franklin), 17 inches in Woodstock and Windsor (Windsor), 18 inches in East Haven (Essex), 19 inches in Plainfield (Washington), Greensboro (Orleans), Chelsea and Strafford (Orange), 20 inches in Hartland (Windsor), East Burke, Lyndon and Hartland (Caledonia), Poultney (Rutland), Island Pond (Essex), 22 inches in Marshfield and Woodbury (Washington), Rutland (Rutland), Brookfield (Orange), Jeffersonville (Lamoille), springfield (Windsor) and Stannard (Caledonia), 24 inches in New Haven (Addison), Milton (Chittenden) and Holland (Orleans), 26 inches in Northfield (Washington), Newport (Orleans), Fairfax (Franklin), Maidstone Lake (Essex), South Burlington (Chittenden) and Cornwall (Addison), 27 inches in Salisbury and south Lincoln (Addison), Williston and Essex (Chittenden), Corinth (Orange) and White River Junction (Windsor), 29 inches in Waitsfield (Washington), Stowe (Lamoille), North underhill and Hanksville (Chittenden)...30 inches in Richford (Franklin), Eden (Lamoille), Montpelier and Worcester (Washington), 31 inches in Waterbury Center (Washington), Randolph (Orange), Morrisville (Lamoille), Canaan (Essex), Monkton (Addison), Jericho and Hinesburg (Chittenden), 32 inches in Walden (Caledonia) and Bethel (Windsor), 33 inches in Pittsford (Rutland) with 36 inches in Cambridge (Lamoille) and Goshen (Addison).|The deep snowfall (18-30 inches) and deeper snow drifts (4-6+ feet) caused numerous problems, including the blocking of numerous heat vents that resulted in the build-up of carbon monoxide and sent dozens of people seeking treatment at area hospitals. There were additional indirect injuries resulting from this storm, including vehicle accidents and cardiac arrests due to overexertion during snow removal. Snow removal operations took several days and up to a week in some urban communities. In addition, the weight of the heavy snowfall on some weaker roofs, resulted in the partial or total collapse of 20 or more barn roofs and the deaths of more than 100 cattle. |
