by VDC Staff
Vermont is facing a heightened risk of tornadoes today and tomorrow amid a pattern of severe weather that has already made 2026 one of the state’s most active tornado years in decades.
Forecasters from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center (SPC) indicate that while the primary tornado probabilities remain low across the Northeast, isolated severe thunderstorms capable of producing brief tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail are possible on Tuesday, June 30, and into Wednesday, July 1.
Current Outlook for Vermont
For today (Tuesday), the SPC Day 1 Convective Outlook notes a belt of moderate upper-level winds across the Northeast that could support a few short-lived supercells or organized storm clusters. While the main threats are damaging winds, the environment has enough ingredients — including some instability and shear — for a brief spin-up tornado in stronger cells.
The Day 2 Outlook for Wednesday maintains a Marginal Risk across parts of the Northeast, with strong buoyancy (high instability) and enough wind shear (35-40 knots effective) to allow for some storm organization. Damaging winds and isolated large hail are the primary concerns, but tornadoes cannot be ruled out if storms align favorably.
Residents across the state, especially in central and southern Vermont, should stay alert. Thunderstorms are expected to develop in the afternoon and evening hours. Even a weak tornado can cause significant damage to trees, power lines, and structures in Vermont’s forested and hilly terrain.
Recent Tornadoes Raise Awareness
This year’s weather has already delivered a rare string of confirmed tornadoes to the Green Mountain State:
- On June 18, 2026, two EF1 tornadoes touched down. One struck near Lincoln in Addison County with peak winds estimated at 105 mph, damaging forests and structures. The other hit the Woodstock/Bridgewater area in Windsor County with winds around 100 mph.
- Earlier, on April 16, 2026, an EF1 tornado was confirmed in Williamstown, Orange County, with 90 mph winds.
These events mark all three confirmed New England tornadoes of 2026 occurring in Vermont — a striking departure from the state’s typical average of about one tornado per year.
Local National Weather Service teams in Burlington conducted damage surveys confirming the EF1 ratings, noting snapped and uprooted trees, and some structural impacts, but thankfully no serious injuries in the recent cases.
What Residents Should Do
Vermont Emergency Management and the NWS urge people to:
- Have a weather radio or reliable app for alerts.
- Know the difference between a Tornado Watch (conditions are favorable) and a Tornado Warning (a tornado is imminent or occurring — take shelter immediately).
- Prepare an emergency kit and identify a sturdy shelter location, ideally a basement or interior room on the lowest floor.
“Even though Vermont doesn’t see tornadoes as often as the Plains states, these events show that they can and do happen here,” said one NWS forecaster. “The recent activity reminds us to stay prepared.”
Meteorologists note that while climate patterns and increasing variability play a role in extreme weather, today and tomorrow’s threat is driven by a specific setup of moisture, instability, and wind flow.
Stay safe, Vermont. Monitor official sources closely and reload the SPC pages for the latest updates.