Epic Snowstorm Blankets Charlotte
March 10, 2011, page 1, expanded.....

Kit Perkins described Monday’s snowstorm as “epic” and well she should. In the photo on page one of the March 10 paper she digs steps into the snowbank blocking the door to her house on Greenbush Road, helped by Mollie Wills. The storm, with near blizzard-strength north winds, has been declared the biggest for March in Vermont, and, at 24.3 inches, the fifth highest on record in Burlington.

Snow began falling on Sunday, March 6, and finally ceased early in the afternoon on Monday, March 7. As of 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Road Commissioner Jr Lewis asked everyone to stay home because 75% of the roads in town were impassible. The fierce north winds created white out situations and drifts of 5-7 feet on some east-west roads.

Ferry Road was closed all day until finally reopened around 5 p.m. The colossal snowbanks along the road were testament to the difficulty of plowing through the drifts and keeping the road open. The Charlotte-Essex Ferry ceased service on February 25 because of ice on the lake, so no ferry traffic was affected.

A crowd of children and their parents who live in the West Village brought out their sleds and took advantage of the closed road. The photo of the sledders on this week's cover was taken by Daphne Plante.

Some of the dirt roads in town were not opened until late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. High snow banks at intersections of roads and driveways continue to make it dangerous to turn onto or cross roads. Another complication is ice on the roads in many areas where flooding had begun during the thaw last week, and that warm days this week is continuing. Extreme caution is advised to drivers, walkers, and especially children and pets.

The town is very grateful to Jr Lewis and his road crews, as well as to all the private contractors, who worked long hours in extremely difficult conditions to clear roads, driveways and parking lots, as well as the evacuation routes at CCS. The shoveling continues!

Both the US Post Office and the Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service ask that home and business owners shovel out mailboxes and dry hydrants on and near their property.

Governor Shumlin cautioned in a press release this afternoon that a new storm is expected to bring snow, high winds and rain into Vermont beginning tonight. "This storm," he said, "will require special vigilance to watch for flooding from ice jams. The high winds might also lead to more power outages."

Photographs from around Charlotte, before, during and after the March 6-7 record-breaking storm, are posted on the Facebook page The Charlotte News - Hometown Paper Since 1958. Click on the link in the Welcome section at the top of the home page on this website to reach the page.