vermont

June 2025 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

Near average rainfall for the month of June at 4.41″ compared to the NOAA normal of 4.52″.  It has been a little dry of late with only 0.21″ falling in the last 11 days of the month.  I don’t record temps but there have been some very hot days followed by big swings to cool days.

Year to date precipitation stands at 29.18″ compared to the normal of 22.13″.  Well above the average mostly from the wet month of May.  All numbers are from my location in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro and may be different where you live.

May 2025 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

May was a very wet month with a number of cool days.  Measurable rain on 17 days with a trace on 4 days totaling 10.23″.  NOAA normal for May at this location is 3.64″.  This is the 3rd highest monthly total in the 6+  years I have been a CoCoRaHS observer.  The other 2 highest were both in the month of July with flooding in parts of the state.

Year to date total is 24.77″ compared to the average of 17.61″.  All numbers are from my location in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro and will very with location.

VTdigger Profile On Norsehorse

by Norsehorse | Health

In case you missed it (icymi) and it is of interest, vtdigger profile, fyi:

Montpelier advocate reflects on cancer journey, advocating for unhoused neighbors and how the community has given back to him:

How Do You Tell What People Are Interested In Right Now?

by CrisEricson2016 | Activism

How do you tell what people are interested in right now?

I posted a bunch of videos on YouTube, mostly made with free online text-to-video generators. To my surprise, people aren’t interested in Medicaid Funding, the River to the Sea, marijuana legalization, political corruption, twitch.tv, and there is some interest in live streaming games, then I quickly got over 950 “views” on a video about starting a new minor political party in Vermont.

April 2025 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

A little wetter than average April with cool weather in the first half but warmer days in the second half. Measured 4.62″ this month with measurable moisture on 17 of 30 days compared to the normal of 3.85″.  For the calendar year my number is 14.54″ compared to the NOAA average of 13.97″.

Also recorded 2.7″ of snow, bringing the season total to 54.5″. My snow average is 62.6″ per season.  All numbers are from my location in the SE corner of Brattleboro and do vary with location.

Expressing My Gratitude

by Norsehorse | Health

Since having been diagnosed with, among other things, a malignant cancerous colon tumor while at CVMC for two full weeks late last year, I have been the recipient of a priceless wealth of kind and generous encouragement as well as support that has taken many forms, including deliveries of food (e.g., freshly homemade omelets and scrambled eggs as well as, recently, breakfast and a half dozen donuts from the Wayside Restaurant and so on).

This is what I term as going the gracious extra mile and beyond.
 
Everyone who has done so, has my deepest gratitude.

Hands Off March in the Rain in Brattleboro

by local | Activism

A good size crowd (estimated at near 2000 by the Reformer) met at the Center Congregational Church on Main St.  There they listened to Rep. Becca Balint speak, then walked to the Town Common For more speeches.  It was a loud but civil crowd.  All on a rainy day.

Open Letter to Governor Scott Regarding Homelessness

by Norsehorse | Politics

Dear Governor Scott,

State of Vermont

It boggles the mind how your administration can be so deliberately indifferent and uncaring when it comes to those who are being or already have been evicted from the Vermont Hotel/Motel Program without those persons having anywhere else safe and secure to go inside, day or night.

The rationale used by your administration for not allowing everyone to stay in the program who are currently eligible as well as clearly in need and most vulnerable does not wash, nor does it pass the straight face test, either.

The fact is that it actually costs much more in terms of fiscal (read: funding), human, medical and other social related matters to do nothing for those the state could and should be assisting more humanely.

March 2025 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

A warmer first half of the month and a rainy second half totaling 3.61″ of moisture compared to a NOAA normal of 3.62″.  Only recorded 0.2″ of snow all month.  Earlier in the winter many were saying what a snowy winter we are having, but the season total so far is 51.8″ compared to my average of 62.5″.   Most all snow was melted by the middle of March.  Still possible to receive snow in April.

For the calendar year, total moisture is 9.92″ compared to the average of 10.12″.  Very close to normal.  All numbers are from my home in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro and do vary by location.

Song for Homeless People in Vermont

by CrisEricson2016 | Music

(Town Meeting Day is March 4th, will homeless people attend?)

Song for Homeless People in Vermont, by Cris Ericson (C)(P) 2025

I never believed you would be sleeping
on a park bench at night
but you lost your job and couldn’t pay rent
and shelter beds were full that night.

February 2025 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

February was a wet, mostly snowy month.  Total moisture recorded for the month was 4.74″ compared to the NOAA average of 3.11″.  For the calendar year 6.31″ compared to the normal of 6.50″.

Snow for the month measured 26.3″ compared to my average since 1993 of 16.5″.  The most I have recorded in February is 40.0″ in 2014-15 and the least is 0.0″ in 2012-13.  For the season, snow total stands at 50.4″, about a foot below the season average of 62.5″ with March and April to go.  My snow stake out in the yard is at 14″ this morning and will vary greatly upon how much sun you receive along with how much snow has fallen.

December 2024 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

For the month of December measured 4.25″ compared to a normal of 4.30 inches.  Most fell as rain but we did receive 8.4″ of snow compared to my average of 13.8″.  The approximate water equivalence of the snow was 0.55″,  so a very dry cold snow from western clipper systems.

I have been measuring snow since 1993.  The average December snow from 93-2010 = 16.1″ and from 2011 to current = 11.3″.  Snowfall on average continues to fall as total precipitation increases.  All this time we were well into climate change.  Wish I had data from the 1960s when I don’t remember a lot of rain storms in winter.

Vermont Homelessness Press Release For Monday 12 23 2024

by RobertOeser | Activism

A group of current and former legislators who have worked on housing issues (former Sens. Illuzzi, Will Hunter, Jim Leddy, current Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky and Rep. Kate Logan) will hold a press event MONDAY at 10:30 at Delta Hotel, 1117 Williston Road, South Burlington to request Gov. Scott declare a state of emergency regarding the homelessness crisis and they will suggest some short-term solutions that should be promptly considered and enacted.

Attached is an introductory document to provide the theme and basis for the request for an emergency declaration, which has been done by one state and several communities across America.

November Precipitation 2024

by local | Nature

Dryness has abated somewhat with 2 larger storms in the past 10 days.  Precipitation for the month measured 3.01″  compared to the normal of 3.53″.  The second storm included snow for many including here with 4.3″ and more at higher elevations.  My November snow average going back to 1993-94 is 2.8″.  There have been 5 years with 10 or more inches in November over that time period.

For the calendar year my total stands at 41.68 inches compared to the norm of 43.24″.  One month to go.  All numbers are from my location in the SE corner of Brattleboro.

Are You A Vermonter Who Winters In Florida? Here’s The Carpet Bagger Special!

by CrisEricson2016 | Politics

Are you a Vermonter who winters in Florida? Wanna have some fun? Remember many years ago in 2000 when Hillary Clinton was a carpet bagger from Arkansas to New York, and she ran for office in NY and won? Are you a Democrat who lost the Nov. 5th, 2024 election in Vermont and you’ve been thinking of hiding your head in the sand? How about Florida?

Brattleboro October Precipitation

by local | Nature

Continued dry with only 2 rain events during the month totaling 1.38″.  Normal rain for October is 4.77″. For the calendar year the total is now 38.67″ compared to the NOAA average of 39.71″.  At the end of August the calendar year total was a +5.37″ and now we are over an inch below normal.  It has been enjoyable weather.

Across Windham County, CoCoRaHs stations reported a high of 2.71″ and a low of 0.73″ for the month of October.  I did see a few snowflakes in the air one day this month.  All my numbers are from a rain gauge located in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro.

September Precipitation

by local | Nature

A dry month with rain on only 4 days at my location totaling 1.19″.  The NOAA average for September is 4.21″. This also marks the end of the Water year or hydrologic year that runs Oct 1 – Sept. 30.  My total for this period is 51.32″ compared to the normal of 47.54″.

Talked to a Town employee last week and the town reservoir (Pleasant Valley) was only down 8 inches at the time so no water shortage.  I can remember the reservoir being down 6 or more feet with the old road across showing.  This is opinion that I try to stay away from, but I enjoyed this past month with drier than normal weather and temps not too hot or too cold on average.

Donate to the Amazing Hospice Hunt!

by giddyitup | Culture

The Hospice Amazing Hunt is happening again this Saturday, September 28 to support Brattleboro Area Hospice. This is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year and we could use more donations! Teams of four will be racing around downtown Brattleboro, searching for clues in unexpected places around town.

If you are able, please donate to the team of your choice here! All proceeds go to Brattleboro Area Hospice’s multitude of free programs supporting those who are dealing with serious illnesses, at the end of their life, and grieving loved ones. For more information about their programs, visit: https://brattleborohospice.org/

Last Brattleboro Walking History Tours of the Season!

by giddyitup | History

Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary continues their walking history tour of Brattleboro, Vermont, leading participants on a journey through time while supporting a worthy cause. The final dates for this unique fundraiser are on Saturdays, September 28, and October 26 at 11 am.

Led by knowledgeable local Rotarian guides, attendees will spend 90 minutes walking up Brattleboro’s Main Street, delving into its fascinating history from its early beginnings to its present-day charm. 

Tours walk from one end of Main Street to the other (approximately 7/10 of a mile) with about 10 stops explaining Brattleboro’s history and culture. The tour will last approximately 1.5 hours and will go from Plaza Park (across from the Co-op) to the Brattleboro Common. Older kids are welcome, but the tour is designed for adults.