STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE
Vermont State Police implements 'freeze patrols' as dangerously cold weather arrives
WATERBURY, Vermont (Friday, Jan. 23, 2026) — The Vermont State Police is implementing "freeze patrols" to ensure uninterrupted coverage overnight as dangerously cold weather arrives in Vermont and is forecast to last through the weekend.
During freeze patrols, night-shift troopers stay on duty beyond their normal 2 a.m. end of shift, and the day shift signs on earlier in the morning so there are no gaps in police coverage. The freeze patrol begins with Friday's night shift and will continue at least until Sunday. The extra patrols could be extended if needed, as a significant snowstorm is predicted to follow the subzero temperatures.
The National Weather Service is forecasting overnight low temperatures Friday into Saturday in the single digits to teens below zero, with wind chills plunging to as much as minus 40 in parts of Vermont. An Extreme Cold Warning is in effect statewide from 7 p.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday. A slightly warmer day is expected Sunday before snow arrives from south to north in the afternoon and evening.
The state police advises motorists to keep a safety kit in their vehicles during the winter. These kits, according to the weather service, should contain items including blankets, extra clothes, a flashlight, flares, jumper cables, shovel, ice scraper, traction helpers such as kitty litter or sand, a first-aid kit, extra food and water, and a portable phone charger. A full tank of gas and topped-off fluids such as de-icer also are recommended.
This is the second time in less than a month that VSP has activated a freeze patrol. The first occurred during the Dec. 28-29 ice storm. The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Enforcement and Safety Division also will be providing extra police coverage during the overnight hours this weekend. Anyone who faces an emergency situation on the roads should call 911.
As road conditions deteriorate with the arrival of snow on Sunday, VSP reminds drivers to leave plenty of time to reach your destination, slow down, wear a seat belt, increase following distance between vehicles, give plow trucks and emergency vehicles room to operate, move over when overtaking a vehicle stopped on the side of the road, and to be patient behind the wheel.
Additional cold-weather information and resources, including a list of warming shelters, are available online from Vermont Emergency Management and the Vermont Department of Health.
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