No more stuck trucks until spring. The Vermont Agency of Transportation has closed the road through Smugglers Notch for the winter.
In a tweet Tuesday, the agency said crews were closing the gates on either side of the mountain between Stowe and Jeffersonville. Digital message signs are now illuminated, indicating that the scenic Vermont Route 108 is off limits.
The closure comes as the National Weather Service predicted Vermont would have its first winter storm this season Tuesday night into Wednesday.
The weather service issued winter weather advisories for the entire state.
“Widespread snowfall is what we are looking at,” said Rebecca Duell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Burlington.
Duell said the snow would start shortly after midnight in southern Vermont and spread north. She said the snow would start off fairly light but predicted that by Wednesday morning, sleet and light freezing rain could mix in for Rutland and Windsor counties.
“All this will be happening during the morning commute,” Duell said. “So it’ll be a pretty messy Wednesday morning commute. People may not be expecting it, given the last few days.”
The forecast marks a sudden departure from Vermont’s relatively balmy November to date.
How much snow will fall depends on the elevation, Duell said. The National Weather Service predicted 1 to 3 inches in the lower elevations of the Champlain and Connecticut River valleys, where snow is expected to transition to rain in the early morning, but up to 6 inches could fall at higher elevations of the Green Mountains.
The predicted snow was welcome news at Killington Resort. There, inspectors from the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships have been looking at the slopes for the last few days and are expected to announce Wednesday whether the resort will be able to accommodate the women’s slalom and giant slalom championship races Thanksgiving weekend.
“We do feel very confident in getting that approval tomorrow,” said Kristel Killary, spokesperson for Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners.
Killington has not been waiting for natural snow. The mountain crew has been making snow since Sunday, according to Killary. Before that, it was too warm.
Killary said inspectors are looking for a snow base of 4 to 6 feet for the World Cup. She said athletes from 21 countries are expected.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, up to 30,000 spectators would show up for the event. This is the first year since the pandemic that the World Cup races will be held without crowd restrictions.
The resort is opening to season pass holders this Thursday and to the public on Friday.
On Thanksgiving weekend, the resort will also open its new K-1 Base Lodge overlooking the World Cup races with a bar, cafeteria, guest services, ski patrol offices and seating for 900 people.