Burlington: 2011 Nor'easter Dropped 16 Inches of Snow in Windham County

An early season nor'easter struck the Northeast on Oct. 29 and 30, 2011, delivering heavy snowfall to southern Vermont just 15 years ago today. The storm system dropped 10 to 16 inches of snow across Windham County and 5 to 14 inches in Bennington County, according to the National Weather Service.

Heavy, wet snow weighed down trees and power lines, causing widespread outages in the region. Service interruptions were most severe in areas where leaves remained on branches, which allowed additional snow to accumulate. Some communities had to postpone trick-or-treating until the first week of November.

Snowfall totals varied significantly across the affected area. West Halifax recorded 16 inches, while Marlboro reported 15.8 inches and a location two miles southwest of Brattleboro measured 15.1 inches. Guilford and Woodford both accumulated 14 inches, and Wilmington received 13 inches.

Other towns in southern Vermont reported lower totals. Rockingham and West Wardsboro each recorded 11.5 inches, and South Newfane and East Dummerston both measured 10.5 inches. Bellows Falls accumulated 10 inches, Pownal reported 9.3 inches, and Bennington recorded 9 inches.

Snowfall decreased further south and west. Landgrove measured 7 inches, Sunderland reported 5 inches, and West Arlington also recorded 5 inches. Peru, located in the western part of the coverage area, accumulated 4.5 inches. The storm stands as a notable example of heavy snowfall arriving well before the official start of winter.

The 2011 event is a reference point for current weather patterns in the region. Residents of the Northeast recall the disruption caused by the early winter conditions. The National Weather Service data remains the primary record for these specific measurements.