Vermont mountain communities at a standstill after more historic flooding
Summer plans were again derailed this week in northeast Vermont after torrential rain and flooding damaged roads and deluged buildings recovering from historic flooding earlier this month.
In St. Johnsbury, which got 8 inches of rain and some of the worst flooding, cyclists and some dog lovers had to navigate road closures and adapt to their travel plans, said Cherry Susan, a bed and breakfast owner.
The National Weather Service said most of Vermont should remain dry the rest of this week, but cautioned that "some isolated afternoon showers cannot be ruled out" in the northeastern part of the state.
Cherry said bicycle enthusiasts who ride through Vermont every summer had to take shortcuts this week or navigate long, out-of-the-way routes to reach her location. So many roads were closed that restaurants shut down because staff couldn't come to work, Cherry told USA TODAY. The community's beloved Summer Dog Party − hosted on Dog Mountain – was canceled after the path up the peak was severely damaged.
“They’re making it through with perseverance and some strategies," said Cherry, 69. She noted cyclists have been gathering over breakfast at her inn to share route tips and find solutions to obstacles in their suddenly complicated trips.
Mountain communities faced 'waterfall' of rain
Towns in Vermont's northeast corner got walloped this week with flooding, and last year, cities to the west of them endured a similarly soggy nightmare when floodwaters descended on Barre and Montpelier, the state capital.
This week in St. Johnsbury, some homeowners and shopkeepers fared better than others, Cherry said. If someone's backyard drained into a neighbor's basement, she said, community members spent days dragging wet debris out of the neighbor's home.
“Because we are close to our neighbor's place, and their roof poured into their yard, their yard poured into our basement," Cherry said of her residence.
The nearby Cherry House Bed and Breakfast was all right Thursday, Cherry said, with only 1 inch of water in the basement.
The entire town of St. Johnsbury is built on the side of a hill, and earlier this week it felt like a river was flowing directly down from Main Street, which is higher in elevation than the rest of town, Cherry said.
“When the rains came down Monday night, they were a waterfall going down our hills," she said.
Car dealerships had to haul vehicles elsewhere after trucks got stuck on the lot. Emergency responders focused on opening one lane of traffic so residents could access the main grocery store, and food truck vendors began filling the gap helping get meals to hungry people.
Hot, humid conditions brought devastation for creekside roads
After communities, including St. Johnsbury, got around 8 inches of rain over just a few hours, meteorologists began sounding the alarm that hotter weather allows clouds to store more rain. Climate impacts are reshaping the response in St. Johnsbury, where swift water flood rescues, rarely implemented years ago, have become a regular element of emergency response.
Cherry, who chaired St. Johnsbury's town Planning Committee for 10 years, said the community is working hard to prepare for "the new normal" of intense rain and flooding.
On Wednesday, Phil Scott, Vermont's governor, said the latest round of flooding caused recovery efforts to backslide. Scott said the heavy rains and flooding Tuesday and Wednesday were "demoralizing." Officials at U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' office said Sanders is working with FEMA to get as much disaster recovery assistance as possible for communities hardest hit by flooding.
About 50 homes have been destroyed or significantly damaged by flooding, dozens of roads have been closed and well water has been contaminated by the runoff in areas north of St. Johnsbury.
St. Johnsbury could face even more rain
A chance of showers remained Thursday in St. Johnsbury, where floodwaters this week washed away soil and pavement and left vehicles stranded in feet of mud.
The humidity was 90% in northeast Vermont Thursday, and excessive heat was expected to stick around through early next week, peaking on Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
Facebook pages and "front porch talk" about the weather challenges will surely remain lively in the coming days and weeks, Cherry said, as neighbors hustle to take care of one another, especially the elderly residents in their areas.
“When you have something that everyone has in common like this, you have something you can all align behind, as devastating as it is.”