Good Morning,
We’re getting a break in the wet weather this morning with a mix of sun and clouds across the upper elevations. Hikers should be able to take care of business on trail today with plenty of time to stay dry and comfortable before storm chances resume late this afternoon. Temps will continue to be warm and humid throughout the park, and the lodge will spend much of its time in the 60s today. Winds will be light but could turn gusty at times if certain storm cells meet their mark. Right now the forecast for both Saturday and Sunday are holding firm at being the sloppiest days of weather this entire week. Temps up top are also expected to cool slightly compared to where they’ve been. So not only should hikers plan to bring layers for staying dry, but also for staying warm, especially if the lodge finds itself stuck in clouds and mist the majority of the time. The purples of the Dwarf Rhododendron are beginning to fade along the mountain’s upper reaches, and the Catawbas are all but completely done. Early July is when the whites of the Rosebay Rhododendron gradually fill in behind them throughout the low to mid elevations. Places like the bottom half of Alum Cave Trail or even the drive along Roaring Fork host some of the finer displays the Smokies have to offer. Have a great day.
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Good Morning,
The rain has gotten off to an early start today, making for sloppy conditions as the first hikers arrive at the respective trailheads. Clouds and showers will linger this morning before offering some brief reprieve around lunchtime. But as we proceed through the afternoon, more thunderstorms are expected to fire up and unload over the mountains. Conditions will keep being hot and humid across all elevations, but these clouds and mist will help keep things a little cooler at the lodge with temps in the 60s and light winds. The highest percentages for wet weather continue to be expected for this weekend, so plan your treks up and down the mountain accordingly if you have a reservation soon. With enough steady precip now through the coming days, unbridged creek crossings could run higher than average, making passage a little challenging for some on trails like Rainbow Falls. And with all these summer storms lining up, it’s wiser to avoid a trail like Bull Head, particularly in the afternoon hours, where one is exposed to the elements without a forest canopy for miles. Stay dry and be safe out there. Good Morning,
Hazy and cloud filled skies are the norm over the Smokies this morning. Intermittent sunshine will be mixed with a chance for isolated storms this afternoon. Some storms could produce heavy rainfall depending on where and when they hit. Temps are going to be warm and humid again today across East TN, and the mountain top could see the lower 70s this afternoon. The next several days are all lining up to be soakers, so don’t forget the rain gear. The vegetation continues to thicken up, and we’re a week or two away from the first wave of summertime coneflower blooms adding patches of yellow around camp. The deer did a number on the Monkshoods and Turks Cap Lilies again this year, so there’ll be a bit less variety in the color pallet. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s going to be a game of hide-and-seek with the clouds today, and then much like the preceding week, there will be chances for some passing afternoon thunderstorms. It’s going to be warmer across the region as well, in which temps up top could reach the lower 70s. Winds are expected to pickup by this evening, gusting as much as 20mph at times. You can pretty much take today’s forecast, then copy and paste it throughout the remainder of this week. Typical for summer here in these mountains, so be sure and come prepared with the rain gear in case you get caught out in such conditions on trail. Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable holiday yesterday, and is able to take these coming days to hike off some fine BBQ or desserts! Have a great day. Good Morning,
Happy Birthday USA and Happy Independence Day to everyone! It’s a sunny morning to kickoff this national holiday, but the clouds roll in just as quick as they roll it seems in recent days. If you have hopes of playing in the woods today without a cabin reserved up top, best to take care of business on trail early today before the atmosphere starts seeing some action. By lunchtime today the skies will start welcoming isolated thunderstorms into the region. Some have the potential to be severe in terms of heavy rains, hail, wind, and lightning. A few strong cells grazed the mountain top yesterday, so trails will be plenty wet in places even this morning. Reminder that it doesn’t take long for creeks to rise and wet-weather drainages to appear if a large volume of rain falls in a short period. We’re all hoping that by tonight the weather conditions calm down and temps cool for clearer night skies. One of the rare treats up here is to be able to enjoy the grand firework displays high above East Tennessee. Fingers crossed for some cooperative clouds tonight! Have a safe and enjoyable holiday! Good Morning,
The clouds are holding tight to the mountain top this Sunday. Winds are light and temps are somewhat cool starting in the mid 50s, but the thermometer will have no problem rising up into the 60s later. Scattered thunderstorms and rain showers will resume this afternoon and evening. Independence Day looks like it’s going to be a soaker, with isolated storms expected to roll through all day. Some heavy rainfall is also anticipated, in which the mountain could receive several inches depending on where the strongest cells strike. That means soaking wet trails and potentially higher creek crossings where footbridges are absent. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph at times with some storms. Hopefully hikers do a much better job of coming prepared for the weather the remaining holiday weekend. Rain jackets are wise investments, and our forecast is not the same as Gatlinburg’s, as some people continue to discover the hard way. We’re separated by several miles and are thousands of feet higher into the atmosphere. And a reminder that our operating hours are visible on our websites in multiple locations. Hikers are solely responsible for doing their research and planning accordingly before making the climb. Stay dry and have a great day. Good Morning,
We’re officially into the red-white-and-blue holiday weekend. Clouds are smothering the summit to start this second day of July, and we’ll likely spend much of our time today looking at them. After lunch today is when the next round of pop-up thunderstorms are expected to start firing up. The next several days are calling for more of the same. Not to put a damper on the grand firework displays this holiday is known for, but the skies are probably going to provide plenty of booms and crackles of their own. Winds will be light today and temps will keep on rocking in the 50s and 60s. Come prepared for plenty of traffic congestion in the park this weekend. The gateway communities are sure to be bottled up as well with plenty of local festivities planned. Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
Hello July! Clouds dotting the sky have been passing over much of the day so far. Every once in a while a dark one sits on us or squeezes out a few drops, but nothing torrential has found its mark thus far. Storm chances will remain prevalent through the evening, then pickup again tomorrow afternoon. Sunday looks like it could be a soaker in its entirety. So we’re still on course for a topsy-turvy holiday weekend for weather. Temps will hold their present course between the 50s and 60s. Reminder that on Monday our reservations office will be closed in observance of the great American holiday. We’ll start answering phones and emails again come normal business hours Tuesday. Have a great rest of the 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
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