Milder weather, wind and some rain will quickly erase any recent snow Thursday, but we are reserving the right to one last possible wintry breath for 2nd weekend in April

Unless we see some indications of a major snow event, certainly not out of the realm of possibility, this will be my last regular post of the season. I certainly enjoy the annual review of the cold weather months and how it impacted our ski season in northern Vermont, so check back for that in a few weeks. The recent round of cold weather and snow was just enough to reinvigorate MRG for a a few turns on Sunday and the continued snow Monday into early Tuesday appears to have helped Sugarbush secure a few powdery days though it has been very windy. There are more indications of cool weather in very early April but nothing rivaling this 4-day encore of winter weather. It's not a difficult prognostication given the timing but this is very likely the last 3-4 day stretch of sub-freezing temperatures we see this season unless one can manage to keep their activities over 3,000 feet (in that case you might have a chance !). 

The short term 72-hour forecast appears to be a microcosm of the recent winter season. Following a decent round of cold weather and a dose of powder, ripping southerly winds on Thursday lay waste to a any recent snowfall and further erode lingering snowpack above 2000 feet. This all happens after a tranquil Wednesday with morning sunshine bathing northern Vermont and warming temperatures from the teens into the 30's. Some clouds late in the day might be followed by a round of mixed precipitation Wednesday evening before winds increase out of the south, sending temperatures well into the 50's across valley locations Thursday and 40's even at the highest elevations. The mild temperatures aren't necessarily the problem here, but the wind, higher dewpoints and some rain are certainly capable of sending the Vermont winter landscape further into memory. Winds will become westerly Friday and cooler temperatures will envelop the region for the first full weekend in April but I would not anticipate a full return to winter. Low level instability will favor elevation sensitive rain and snow showers but temperatures will remain close or even above the freezing mark during most of the period with the exception of the highest mountain summits. 

The early part of next week appears to favor the best chance for fair weather with sub-freezing overnights and 40's and 50's for daytime temperatures. During the later part of the week and extending into the weekend of April 9th and 10th, there have been indications of another push of milder weather that might quickly give way to a more amplified setup. Around the time of April 8th and 9th would be the potential time frame for what could be a east coast weather event of some significance including some spring winter weather in the mountains. If you are hoping for one last big storm, this could be our last shot for something with the ensembles making a move toward milder temperatures by April 11th.