Heavy rain in some areas combined with overnight freezing rain has made for treacherous roadways Monday, causing multiple accidents as well as some flight delays.
Update 3:25 p.m. - Vermont Emergency Management officials are refreshing their earlier warnings that falling temperatures will cause some roads to freeze during evening rush hour. Scott Rogers, the director of operations for the Vermont Agency of Transportation says drivers should reduce speeds and avoid sudden turns or braking.
Officials are also warning of possible flooding. On Twitter, Vermont Emergency Management said there is a flood warning in effect in southern Vermont.
Officials advise Vermonters to stay off the roads if possible.
Update 12:01 p.m. - Vermont State Police sent multiple advisories this morning warning Vermonters to be especially careful on the road. The area around exits 17 and 18 on Interstate 89 have "large pockets of water covering the road," a problem extending to other areas as rainfall continues through the morning. State police warn that in addition to icy roadways, "motorists should be aware of the possibility of hydroplaning and should reduce speeds accordingly."
Officials are also keeping a close eye on an afternoon freeze that could make for an especially dangerous evening commute. Bob Lucas, the patrol commander at the state police's Williston barracks has this advice for drivers: "Give yourself plenty of time to travel, slow down, leave extra space between you and the vehicle ahead of you."
6:54 a.m. - Vermonters are waking up on Monday morning to icy road conditions. The Vermont Agency of Transportation reports hazardous driving conditions state-wide. Secondary roads are especially slick.
A number of schools are closed or have delayed opening. The schools are in Vermont’s Addison, Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham and Windsor Counties. Also in New Hampshire’s Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, and Sullivan counties and New York’s Clinton and Essex counties.
Police are urging drivers to proceed with caution as many local roads are slippery from freezing rain overnight.
State and local road crews are treating the roads, but people still need to drive slowly.
In Springfield, the Interstate 91 northbound ramp at Exit 7 was being closed temporarily after a tractor trailer crash at about 4:30 a.m. Monday. Another tractor trailer accident closed a lane of traffic on northbound I-91 in Westminster.
State police reported numerous vehicles went off Route 30 in the town of Pawlet and Route 31 in Poultney on Sunday night. The roads were covered in ice. Some vehicles were stranded until crews could apply salt to the roads. At least one person suffered minor injuries when a car went off the road.
One driver in the Jericho area lost control of her vehicle and spun into a fallen tree that was on the ground, likely due to a recent ice storm.
Utilities are reporting a few hundred power outages, mostly in Franklin County.
Temperatures this morning are above freezing in many towns, but light rain is falling and in some places rain is freezing on the roadways.
