The climate of Vermont is controlled by three main factors:
A strong example of The Shimmer on the south-western border of Vermont
Lake Champlain has a simple anomalous property with far-reaching consequences for the state:
No matter the time of year, the water temperature remains a balmy 73.2 °F.
This has many effects, but the main ones are:
Some glorious Champlain-effect powder
In the winter, there is a huge difference in the temperature of the water and the temperature of the air. As cold air sweeps in from New York travelling east, it warms with the steaming humidity above the lake. This is carried east until it hits the Green Mountains, where it is forced upward by the terrain to cooler air above, freezes, and precipitates down as snow. A lot of snow. This makes the eastern-facing slopes of the spine of the state some of the most powder-rich environments in the world, rivaled only by Japan and its ocean-effect snow.
The other effect of the hot lake is incredible precipitation year-round in the area of the state west of the Green Mountains. While the exact amount of rainfall varies, some areas such as North Ridge National Forest and Pebble Shore National Park are classified as temperate rainforests and full of thick mosses and lush ferns.
A section of Pebble Shore National Park
Weather as an industry is a bit of a crapshoot. But even by Mother Nature’s standards, Vermont weather is something else.
It’s like it has a life of its own. While rare, sometimes weather itself is anomalous. The weather in July might be cloudless and sunny in the morning, and out of nowhere start dumping heavy snow out of the sky. For this reason, any responsible Vermonter keeps a spare set of cold-weather clothing in their car, and innovative, flexible clothing is a major industry. Zip off pants are everywhere in the fall and spring.