Good Morning,
Observing a wall of clouds this morning on top of Ole Smoky. Conditions will start out calm, and like a typical summer day in these parts, pop-up rain showers and thunderstorms will make themselves known by the afternoon. In the meantime, winds remain light and temps will alternate between mid 50s and mid 60s. Looking ahead, Friday appears to be a soaker from start to finish, with strong precip chances lingering into Saturday. By Sunday, the forecast looks more favorable for outdoor rambles. Plan accordingly with the rain gear. We gladly sell ponchos up top, but that doesn’t serve one well for their ascent. It continues to get quite busy here in East TN, as the last school districts around the country are wrapping up their years and letting out for summer. With so much to see and do in these mountains, the Smokies and Mt. LeConte continue to be popular vacation destinations. Have a great day.
0 Comments
Good Morning,
Hitting the repeat button again with the forecast today. Starting off with a lot of cloud cover at varying elevations. By this afternoon conditions will make for rain and pop-up storm development. Count on trails being wet and muddy for a while, as brief glimpses of sunshine likely won’t be enough to dry things out. Temps are in the low 50s and we could rise into the mid 60s later. Winds should be relatively calm. Reminder to expect traffic delays as you make your way to and through the park. Maintenance along the Spur between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, as well as repaving work on Newfound Gap Road on the TN side, are creating single lane closures and stop-and-go traffic. So consider alternate roads in or different trailheads this week if getting delayed isn’t your cup of tea. Have a great day. Good Morning,
We’re in a summer rinse cycle of clouds and rain these days. There wasn’t much to see from the top yesterday and the rain showers rolled in and out. That appears to be the story again today with a strong chance of precip for this afternoon. Have those rain shells ready for the hike up or down. Temps will remain mild, as we start off in the lower 50s and should see the mid 60s later on. Winds are to remain light. All this moisture is bringing out the smaller wildlife that calls the Smokies home. In these conditions, salamanders and snails can frequent the trails, so be mindful of your foot placement as you traverse the mountain. The Dark-Eyed Juncos are known for building their nests right beside trails as well, often revealing their locations by darting out quickly as hikers pass by. Always something to see out there, even in the rain. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Already a week into June as this year continues to fly by. Looking at another day with a mix of clouds and scattered rain showers. The strongest chance for precip is expected during the afternoon hours, so guests should be able to get out in front of any sloppy weather. Temps will be relatively stable, between the lower 50s and lower 60s today. Winds should be relatively calm even up top. Count on some wet and muddy trail conditions at times this week, as the extended forecast seems to be calling for rain chances just about everyday. Not unusual for June in the Smokies, as sometimes we get it, and sometimes we don’t. Still best to come prepared for it though. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Summer in the Smokies is definitely here, as one could certainly tell by the trail traffic that it was the first Saturday in June. And with such abundant sunshine, exploring the outdoors in any capacity was a wise choice, especially if opting to beat the heat by flocking to the cooler mountains. Today will be cloudy with scattered rain showers in the vicinity all day. The possibility for thunderstorms will ramp up this afternoon and last through supper time. Winds could gust as high as 20mph at times. The new week will also begin with rain potential as we slide into our typical summer forecast. Temps are starting off in the low 50s and we expect to reach the mid 60s again today. Come prepared for warm and humid temps down below, cooler mountain air up top, and some rainy conditions all around. Have a great end to the week. Good Morning,
Going to be a beautiful Saturday in the Smokies. An inspiring sunrise helped to start the weekend off right. Temps for breakfast are in the upper 40s and we should leap into the mid 60s this afternoon. Skies are mostly clear, although clouds are expected to build throughout the day. There is an ever-so slight chance for a rain shower this afternoon. Come Sunday, the possibility for rain and thunderstorms increases, so have the rain shells in tow. Winds are expected to remain calm. Now that it’s getting warmer, we’re beginning to see more wildlife activity around the lodge and on the trails. Our usual small herd of deer have been hanging around the lodge. And we’re getting word of various bear sightings on the trails. Please remember to respect all that you see by keeping a safe distance. And DO NOT FEED the bears. Ever. Or the squirrels. If you happen to observe anything suspicious regarding the local wildlife, remember to report it to an NPS ranger or lodge staff. Have a great weekend. Good Morning,
The first weekend of June approaches, and it’s shaping up to be a good one. We are starting off the day to a splendid sunrise living life above the clouds. Curious to see if those clouds will break up and disappear, stay put, or slowly rise up and cover us, as the forecast is calling for mostly cloudy conditions today. Either way, the air is relatively calm, our temp is around 50°, and the early birds are chirping. We could get close to a high of 60° this afternoon. Yesterday turned out to be fairly decent up here, with an occasional breeze, only a handful of intermittent rain sprinkles, and varying cloud layers. We eventually saw skies break around supper time and were treated to a pleasant evening. Saturday’s forecast looks similar to today, and Sunday should be nice as well until a chance for rain showers later in the day. The mountain ash trees that are one of the few leafy types up this high are showing early signs of decent bloom clusters. This particular tree does not produce blooms or fruit every year, and it’s been several years since we’ve witnessed a good show. Which could be due to a recovery period from the severe drought of 2016, or the fact that we’ve endured excessive rainfall in the years since. Perhaps they finally like what this spring has delivered. The white blooms of late June eventually turn into the bright red berries, enjoyed by black bears, in autumn. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Waking up to thick clouds and breezy conditions this Thursday. Appears it’s going to be that way all day and possibly into Friday. Wind gusts up to 30mph will be passing over the mountain today and tonight. The rain showers have been intermittent but never heavy downpours. Temps are currently in the upper 40s and we could achieve a high near 60° later on. Pack the extra layers to keep you warm and dry. It may be June, but getting caught out in these conditions unprepared can still bring on hypothermia. When it’s summer in the Smokies, there can be a chance for even just an afternoon rainshower everyday. Combined with the fact that temps up here can be anywhere from 10-20° cooler on average than what’s happening below. These days there is a great wealth of information available to help one better prepare for an excursion into the woods, from weather to trail conditions. Please take advantage of these helpful tools to ensure a safe and enjoyable time in the backcountry, and also an experience that doesn’t put yourself or others at risk. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s going to be a mostly cloudy day on the mountain, with a small chance for a passing rain shower in the afternoon. Winds will be picking up a bit, with gusts of 25mph possible. Temps are starting out in the mid 40s, and we should rise into the upper 50s for an afternoon high. Tomorrow shows the greatest potential for rain and thunderstorms, with temps and wind speeds comparable to today’s forecast. So come ready for quick changes in the weather while on trail. The Catawba Rhododendron are starting to bloom at places like Inspiration Point on Alum Cave, as the Myrtle are on their way out. Even the plant life around the lodge is starting to grow taller, glow greener, and fill in thicker. Finally getting some much needed rain this past week sure helped. Have a great day. Good Morning,
And hello, June! Although it isn’t official for another three weeks, the look and feel of summer is certainly here on Mt. LeConte. The greenery doesn’t have much farther to climb and fill in these days, and now that we’re through the holiday, one can count on the bigger sustained crowds flocking to the Smokies. Waking up to cloudy skies with calm winds this Tuesday. Temps will start in the mid 40s and could reach a comfy 60° later this afternoon. We could get some breaks in the gray veil for occasional sunshine. Beginning tomorrow and lasting into the weekend we will see heightened chances for rain showers and thunderstorms, so pay extra close attention to the local forecasts on how that could affect your travel plans and hiking. The NPS will be performing some maintenance work on the Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge these next two weeks. There will be single lane closures happening for both directions, Tuesday thru Thursday this week, and then Monday thru Thursday of next. Expect slow downs and delays in traffic during peak travel hours if you decide to enter or exit the park from that direction. Have a great day. |
LeConte LodgeWelcome to the official blog of LeConte Lodge. We hope you find the information provided here both helpful and enjoyable. Thank you for visiting the site, and we hope to see you on the mountain! Archives
April 2024
|