This summer, Addison County faced extreme weather, including an intense thunderstorm in July and a drought in August. Both events caused damage throughout campus and in downtown Middlebury, raising concerns about the broader implications of climate change in the local area.
The first incident occurred on July 10, when an extreme thunderstorm struck Addison County. The storm significantly impacted vegetation on Middlebury’s campus, prompting extensive recovery efforts from college staff.
“We lost about 10 or 12 trees, and we had to prune storm damage out of about another 25. It probably took our grounds department a good three weeks or so to get back to normal and clean ground and clean things up from this storm,” Tim Parsons, head horticulturist at the college, said.
The storm was similarly disruptive to Middlebury students living in town over the summer.
“My roommate and I were driving home from the grocery store, and the storm came so suddenly that all the cars near the intersection had pulled aside and couldn’t drive. We made it back to our house, but we could barely see through the storm,” Brooke Allison ’25.5 said.
The aftermath of the storm led to road closures, power outages, and damage to Middlebury Union High School. The Addison Independent reported that the school suffered damage to its roof, which will require a repair to a 4,000-square-foot section above the auditorium.
What was particularly unusual about the storm was not the overall damage, but its uneven distribution across campus. Areas around Davis Library were notably affected, while the north end of campus saw no impact.
Just weeks later, the county endured severe heat and drought. On Aug. 12, Director of Environmental Safety & Compliance Jesse Stratton sent out an email alerting students on campus about a heat advisory put out by the National Weather Service. This email also warned students about the Fire Danger Forecast, which was high at the time.
“Recently, a cigarette that was improperly discarded was identified as the primary ignition source for a small fire in a flower bed adjacent to McCullough Student Center,” Stratton wrote.
Staff members worry that certain types of student activity increase danger during such dry periods.
“I think we are all very concerned about the fire pit that's out at the Knoll. You are supposed to register when you use that, but I think the town fire warden has completely shut that down for the immediate future,” Parsons said.
Beyond immediate safety concerns, the severe weather this past summer raises a larger question: How will Vermont’s climate change over the coming years? According to the Vermont State Website, the state has seen rising temperatures, increased precipitation and negative effects on biodiversity.
“The last 11-year period (2010-2020) was the warmest 11-year period on record. If emissions are not cut, historically unprecedented warming is projected to continue through this century,” the Vermont State Website states.
With summers expected to continue trending warmer, the July thunderstorms and August drought serve as a reminder that Addison County is subject to broader climate trends. Staff on campus are taking steps to protect against these increasingly extreme conditions. An example is planting new trees that are more resilient to extreme weather and diversify the landscape.
“I'm trying to plant as many different species as I can because the more diverse our tree population is, the more resilient it becomes. I'm also starting to plant trees that do better down south. I'm planting more oaks on the grounds here now because in 50 to 75 years, our climate will need it, and trees just can't pick up and move,” Parsons said.
Violet Wexler '28 (she/her) is a Local News Editor.
Violet has previously served as a staff writer. She is majoring in Political Science and intending to minor in Russian and Psychology. Outside of The Campus, she works with MIDDvotes, hosts a radio show with WRMC, and helps out in the admissions office. Last summer, she was on campus at Middlebury assisting with political science research!
