Report finds Vermont is experiencing unprecedented weather extremes

This is the first of two stories on the findings in a new climate assessment. The second story will look at adaptation strategies that the report says could reduce climate risks. 

Ski areas have a lot of priorities to balance when it comes to making snow in a changing climate.

The majority of snowmaking machines at Vermont’s ski areas are several times more energy-efficient than older models, which is helpful as resorts are increasingly reliant on snowmaking, said Molly Maher, president of Ski Vermont, a trade association.

But, she said, when Vermont winters are increasingly experiencing “roller coaster temperatures” and more melting, snowmakers have to be put to work more often. Starting up a snowmaking system takes a lot of time and work — which means money and even more energy. 

“We get snow, then it warms up, and we lose the snow, and then we have to make more snow,” she said. “That, that we don’t like to see.”

Maher’s comments mirrored the findings of the most recent Vermont Climate Assessment, released late last month by the University of Vermont’s Gund Institute. The report is an unflinching look at what Vermont is currently facing year-round in a changing climate, and what residents can expect in the future. It’s the third statewide assessment; the first two were published in 2014 and 2021.

Vermont winters, the latest report says, are seeing inconsistent freeze-thaw cycles, decreased snowpack and more precipitation in the form of rain. 

Those conditions have resulted in a shorter winter sports season and an increased reliance on snowmaking, according to the report.

Last year was a great year for snow, but Maher said ski areas are waiting to see what this year brings, even if it’s shorter periods of freezing temperatures.

“They’re just trying to be as efficient as possible so that they can take advantage of shorter windows if they have to do that,” Maher said. As cold snaps become shorter and more unpredictable, she said, ski areas are adapting with snowmaking systems that can be turned on and off quickly.

She’s also seen changes in more than just temperature volatility: High winds are shutting down ski lifts more often, and recent flooding has caused infrastructure damage at some ski areas. For example, the ski town of Ludlow was hit hard by flash flooding in 2023.

Beyond the winter season, the state is experiencing unprecedented weather extremes, and its climate is getting warmer, wetter and more variable, according to the Gund Institute study.

Average annual temperatures have increased in Vermont by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900. The report also found that southeastern Vermont has warmed over a degree more than the rest of the state.

And winters have warmed the most, by 4.6 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900.

The report looked into how climate indicators are changing over time, showing that in many cases the pace of change is increasing.

Average annual snowfall decreased by 4.9 inches per decade over the last 65 years. But that decline is accelerating: Annual snowfall decreased by 8.4 inches per decade in the last 35 years.

The report cites aging infrastructure as a major risk to communities in a changing climate. That is already top of mind for many local municipalities, according to Ted Brady, executive director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.

He said an increase in severe weather events has resulted in higher costs for maintaining roads and municipal infrastructure like water and wastewater systems. And he sees municipalities facing more disasters than ever before.

“They’re kind of becoming experts in disaster funding,” he said. “They’re becoming experts in resiliency. Those towns that haven’t been impacted by severe weather events know that they’re not far away from being impacted by a severe weather event.”

And because municipalities are investing so much of their capacity toward climate-related disasters, they’re not able to put that capacity elsewhere.

“If your town manager or your selectboard chair … is spending all their time negotiating with FEMA over reimbursements for your fire station, you’re not spending time worrying about what the future of your library looks like,” he said, describing it as a missed opportunity.

So much of the energy of local governments is going toward repairing or updating infrastructure, and he said it shows up in every conversation in towns across the state.

He said he’s seen an increased interest and participation in conservation and energy committees in local governments.

The authors of the assessment say action is required now to adapt to future climate risks. They call for “coordinated planning and investment in natural, physical, financial, and social infrastructure.”

Brady said Vermont and its governmental bodies have done a good job building systems to try to help local governments, and that it’s ahead of the curve in many ways. But he said the system needs money to make real change on the ground.

“Our municipalities have so many infrastructure needs: water, wastewater, stormwater, paving roads, redoing bridges, redoing culverts. … There’s not enough money from the state trickling to the towns to help them overcome these challenges,” he said. 

Read the story on VTDigger here: Report finds Vermont is experiencing unprecedented weather extremes.