New England

Blast of Snowy Weather Hits Vermont Hard

A blast of snowy weather Tuesday tested Vermonters’ winter driving skills and patience.

Slide-offs and minor crashes were reported in many communities, including Middlesex, Colchester, and Essex—where a power pole broke when a driver lost control in the slippery conditions and hit it.

That Essex crash caused a temporary power outage to several dozen residents while Green Mountain Power made repairs to the pole.

"Drive slow—take extra time," urged Sgt. Francis Gonyaw of the Colchester Police Department. "The roads are going to be bad today; they’re going to be bad tonight. The National Weather [Service’s] forecast is talking about even into tomorrow. So just patience and slow down."

The mountains were where the most significant accumulations were expected. Skiers and riders took full advantage at Stowe Mountain Resort.

Mount Snow in West Dover boasted on Twitter of getting an inch an hour for part of the day at the resort.

And at Bolton Valley, spokesman Josh Arneson said the fresh snowfall should help spark new bookings for Vermont’s ski industry as a whole.

"This storm is extremely well-timed," Arneson said. "We love getting snow early-season and it’s going to tee us and everybody else up for a great Christmas week."

On downtown Burlington’s famous Church Street Marketplace, a busy destination for shopping and dining, maintenance staff spent the day keeping on top of the snow—ensuring holiday shoppers would have no trouble getting to the stores.

"Everyone’s in the holiday cheer," the marketplace’s Jim Daly said. "They’ve all got smiles on!"

With plow crews out working, the Vermont Agency of Transportation and other transportation officials around New England would also like to see drivers remember to not "crowd the plow" while on the roads. Instead, give those crews the room they need to do their jobs. 

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