Friday marks three years since the devastating floods of 2023 — and two years since 2024’s repeat in some towns.
For many Vermonters, July 10 resurfaces memories of communities under water, homes inundated and neighbors supporting neighbors through disaster.
At VTDigger, we’ve worked to bring comprehensive coverage of Vermont’s years of severe flooding — both breaking news stories and deep dives during the long months of cleanup that followed.
In 2023, our reporters produced dozens of stories from up and down the state, beginning with the July 10 storm and continuing with the torrential rain in the weeks after.
To mark the one-year anniversary, VTDigger reporters produced the “Downstream” series. The award-winning project looked at what had changed — and what hadn’t — since 2023’s catastrophic flooding.
Then, as July 10, 2024, rolled around, the remnants of Hurricane Beryl brought more than 6 inches of rain to some towns, unleashing a round of damaging floods exactly one year later. Again, VTDigger reporters were on the ground from Plainfield to Norton, hearing from the Vermonters most impacted by the natural disaster.
And even last year, downpours spurred flash flooding in some communities in the Northeast Kingdom on July 10. VTDigger has covered the recovery of the small affected communities, which has been particularly challenging without aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, leaving the state and towns to figure out who should pay for the damage.
VTDigger’s coverage of Vermont’s flood recovery will continue. Last November, VTDigger partnered with FRONTLINE (PBS) to investigate how recovery from these repeated floods has gone and how Vermont is preparing for future flooding. The project is set to be published later this summer.
Meteorologists have not been expecting severe flooding on this year’s anniversary, despite thunderstorms Thursday afternoon in northern parts of the state.
Seth Kutikoff, meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Burlington office, recommended that Vermonters stay informed about weather in their area by signing up for VT-ALERT, which officials use to warn the public about emergencies. He also suggested checking the National Weather Service’s website or social media pages for updates. More resources about preparing for flooding are available on the Vermont Department of Health’s website.
