Vermont residents awakened Thursday to a quieter weather forecast with no flood warnings following another round of destructive storms, as a U.S. senator from the state asked Congress to pass a disaster aid package that would help communities across the country dealing with wildfires, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes.

There were downpours Wednesday night in parts of Vermont and New Hampshire. St. Johnsbury, Vermont, which got more than 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain on Tuesday, saw less than an inch of rain Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said at a news conference Wednesday that the latest storms to hit the state have undone much of the cleanup and recovery work from its last major bout of flooding only weeks ago, and he called on residents to “stick together.”

“This time, it’s especially bad after workers spent the past three weeks working furiously to recover from the last flooding, ” Scott said. “It feels much worse than a punch or a kick. It’s simply demoralizing. But we can’t give up. We’ve got to stick together and fight back against the feeling of defeat.”

State officials said preliminary information indicated that 50 homes were destroyed or suffered significant damage. More than half a dozen roads were closed, a lightning strike knocked out water for part of the town of St. Johnsbury, and flooding had contaminated several wells that serve the village of Lyndonville.

In Washington, Democratic U.S. Sen. Peter Welch asked Congress to pass a supplemental disaster aid package.

“We can’t recover without that federal help,” he said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday night. “I just can’t stress this enough. We need Congress to step up. And we need the help of all of us here because well, it’s Vermont this time, it may be New Hampshire next time. It may be Texas next month. And I believe all of us have to help one another when an event occurs causing such harm to people we represent. And it’s through no fault of their own.”

Vermont experienced major flooding earlier in July caused by what was left of Hurricane Beryl. The flooding destroyed roads and bridges and inundated farms, and it came exactly a year after a previous bout of severe flooding hit Vermont and several other states.

___

McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire.

While a month left of summer may seem like plenty of time, if you’ve yet to go on that trip or take that time off, now is the time to start planning. Though, after factoring in schedules, bookings, and work, you probably should have started by now.

It’s okay, we don’t judge. If you’re having trouble making a decision, a recent article in The New York Times listing six potential destinations for a late summer trip may be a good starting point if you don’t have time to plan a trip that’s too far away.

While these places are scattered across the world, there is one location that lends itself to a last-minute summer getaway, especially if you’re a fan of hiking, mountains, and small-town New England.

The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and why the NYT loves it

The Northeast Kingdom is, as its name implies, in the north of the Green Mountain State, on the border of Canada. It’s comprised of the Essex, Caledonia and Orleans counties.

Here’s what The New York Times said about why they liked it: “The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont is an overlooked, rural part of the state near the border with Quebec. That means in the winter it is bitterly cold. But in the summer? Gorgeous.“

What to do when visiting Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom

With walking and biking trails that show off the area’s natural forests this is a good trip for someone who loves the outdoors. The largest towns, St. Johnsbury and Lyndon, have fewer than 8,000 residents.

The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, which is the longest rail trail in New England at 93 miles, is considered an ideal starting point for new off-road bikers. The Kingdom Heritage Trail System, which opened in 2019, is also mentioned, providing hikers with new access to some of the best of the area’s backcountry.

Farm to table seems to be the only way to eat here, with locally produced beer, cheese and maple syrup available in the small-town general stores and farmers’ markets.

Vermont Open Farm Week runs from Aug. 4 to 11, where visitors can get hands on with farm activities, providing a good time for families traveling with children, who will have the chance to climb onto a tractor or milk a cow.

Accommodation won’t break the bank either – with two person cabins going for approximately $110 per night.

What they said

“The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont is an overlooked, rural part of the state near the border with Quebec. That means in the winter it is bitterly cold. But in the summer? Gorgeous.“

A Vermont man is marveling at how quickly flash floods transformed his front yard and neighborhood. The storm destroyed homes, roads, utilities and other public infrastructure in just a few hours. (AP Video: Nick Perry. Production: Rodrique Ngowi.)