Winter’s first major snowstorm has skiers drooling and emergency management professionals warning of electricity outages and treacherous roads.
The storm, blowing in from the southwest, will begin Thursday night in southern Vermont, move north into Friday morning, and carry on into Saturday, the National Weather Service in Burlington predicts.
Much of the state will receive around a foot of snow, with possible 20-inch totals in the southern Green Mountains.
In anticipation, some schools — particularly in southern Vermont — have already canceled classes on Friday. They include the Two Rivers Supervisory Union in Ludlow and Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, as well as Champlain Valley Union School District farther north.
Warmer temperatures that are expected in the Champlain and lower Connecticut River valleys will increase the risk for heavy, damaging snow, the weather service warned. The all-day storm is expected to disrupt both morning and evening commutes on Friday.
We are still on track for a long duration snow storm starting tonight. Be careful if you have to drive as heavy snow will lead to hazardous conditions Friday. pic.twitter.com/Gffj1okbKj
— NWS Burlington (@NWSBurlington) December 15, 2022
“The heavy snow carries the potential of power outages due to downed tree limbs and utility lines,” Mark Bosma, spokesperson for Vermont Emergency Management, wrote in a message to Vermonters.
Green Mountain Power, the state’s largest electric utility, “is preparing for the forecast, and we will have our team ready to respond,” Mike Burke, the company’s vice president of field operations, said in a statement. “People should always stay far away from any downed lines or trees, as they could still be energized. Call us to help.”
But it’s not all bad news. The week’s low temperatures led to increases in snow-covered terrain at ski resorts such as Okemo, in the southern part of the state, and Stowe Mountain Resort up north. And with more snow on the way, mountains from Jay Peak down to Stratton all expect more trails open this weekend.
Magic Mountain, in Londonderry, had expected to open Christmas week, but the weekend’s storm has staff members hoping for a Sunday opening, according to Geoff Hatheway, the ski area’s president.
“We’ve gained confidence in the forecasts so that we may open up on Sunday, assuming we get 15-plus inches of snow,” he said. “With this much snow, potentially, it takes a while to open up for safe skiing and riding with our size staff. But Sunday should be a big powder day experience here and we are excited for it.”
For those hoping to go uphill, the forecast is less certain. Backcountry skiing, which has exploded in popularity, requires a base of natural snow, explained Greg Maino, spokesperson for the Catamount Trail Association. Catamount helps steward and grow a network of Nordic and backcountry trails statewide.
If skiers and riders plan to get into the woods this weekend, Maino suggested coming prepared with food, water, extra layers, and some form of communication.
“We would recommend focusing on uphill routes at resorts, or any of the growing number of managed backcountry areas managed by the CTA and our chapters,” Maino said. “Now is when we worry most about people. Excitement is very high and conditions are very marginal — it’s not a great recipe.”
