Thunderstorm Season Begins!

2014-06-03 18:29:51.000 – Tom Padham,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist

Nice Sunrise This Morning, T-Storms This Evening?

Waking up this afternoon (being the night observer) I was greeted with sight of a line of thunderstorms on radar approaching from the west, with some of the tops of these storms already seen with the naked eye about 100 miles away. Having spent two previous summer seasons on the summit, I am no stranger to thunderstorms up here and am excited to see what this summer may have in store. Some of the most exciting weather events I have seen here have been thunderstorms, with 2 separate events both having winds gusts in excess of 100 mph and up to quarter-size hail, along with plenty of lightning. One storm back in 2011 had hail fall for over 40 minutes straight on the summit, with the hail accumulating to several inches, creating a winter-like scene during the middle of summer.

This evening a line of storms currently crossing the Green Mountains of Vermont will reach our area, with a few thunderstorms and a period of heavy rain likely. An isolated severe thunderstorm, with gusty winds and small hail, is not out of the question this evening, with a few warned storms currently over the southern part of the line segment near the Albany, New York area. The storms may weaken slightly as they move across Vermont, but if they hold together it could be an interesting night!

Tom Padham,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist