Good Morning,
We may be down to the final two weeks of the season, but Mother Nature still has plenty of variety in store for us. Hikers will be spoiled by another superbly sunny day in the Smokies once again, with temps ranging from the 40s to 50s. The air will start out calm, but by tonight the winds will kick it up a notch as Tropical Storm Nicole makes its approach from the southeast. It is expected to make landfall as a minor hurricane. Between now and early Saturday, gusts will be a presence over the mountains blowing as much as 40mph. Rain will also be sweeping over us as early as Thursday afternoon, with Veterans Day looking like it will be a wash. Depending on how the storm tracks, we could receive a couple inches of liquid precip by the time it rolls out this weekend. But the action won’t end there! Come Friday evening temperatures will plummet and stay quite chilly for a few days. We’re talking highs around freezing and lows in the teens before factoring in any winds. Thankfully we’re anticipating sunshine for the weekend, but that frigid air and icy trails will pose no shortage of hazards for hikers to consider before entering the wilderness. More on all that later. Thank you to everyone who has participated in the parking survey thus far. Reminder that you can access it here on this website from the menu or through our reservations website through the link at the top. Have a great day.
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Good Morning,
Here we are more than a week into November and it feels like spring. Hikers can count on having warm temps and sunny skies today and tomorrow. And now that the trees are bare, there are more grand views to be had all around. Temps will top out in the upper 50s today and dip into the 30s tonight. Winds will be light, but noticeable enough to add a chill to anyone stopped in the shade or sitting down after a sweaty ascent. It may be the final weeks of the Atlantic hurricane season, but the warm waters to our southeast appear to have one more storm to send our way. Current forecast cones for Subtropical Storm Nicole give it the potential to graze the Smokies late Thursday into Friday shortly after making landfall. Even at that, the wind speeds and rain amounts could be minimal before a cold airmass from the north sends it packing. At that point we’ll be welcoming frigid temps for the weekend. Down to 10.5 hours of daylight now, and it gets darker sooner than you might think in the hollers of these mountains. So remember those headlamps and know when to leave the summit if visiting on a day hike. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Well we made it through the windy weekend. There are some lingering clouds and spotty rain showers in our region this morning, but skies should gradually begin to clear up this afternoon. The mild temps we’ve been enjoying will continue a few more days. The mountain should see a high reading in the upper 50s this afternoon and a low in the 40s tonight. Tomorrow looks promising as well making for some great weather to explore the woods. Trail conditions are going to be wet and muddy in a number of places still, and thankfully not too many trees came down from the strong gusts in recent days. Trees inside the park have all but been stripped bear of their changing leaves now, as the mountains ready themselves for the inevitable arrival of winter. In anticipation of the National Park Service’s new paid parking tag program set to commence in March 2023, we are conducting a survey of lodge guests (past, present, and future) to provide the NPS with visitor feedback regarding the program’s potential impacts on the lodge guest experience. Those interested are encouraged to find and complete the survey on our reservations website by clicking the link at the top of the page. The survey will also be accessible on this blog, by selecting the Parking Survey tab at the top. Basic details about the NPS parking tag program have been provided in the survey, but there are still many unknowns about the program’s implementation and logistics and how it will impact future lodge guests. Since this NPS program is still in its planning stages and is entirely NPS driven, all comments and questions should be directed to the NPS. We have provided links and NPS contact information in the survey for your convenience. Please do not direct any comments or questions beyond what is mentioned in the survey to our reservations office or lodge staff, as they do not have all the answers at this time. As we learn more from the NPS about its parking program and potential effects on lodge guests, we will share such information at that time. An end date for this survey has not been set, but those interested are encouraged to complete the survey soon so as not to miss the opportunity to provide this feedback. Thank you. Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
Friday concluded with a soothing sunset, but as the skies darkened, in came the howling winds and clouds. So far it has been a socked-in summit this Saturday, with the gusts roaring as advertised along with a nagging mist. The Wind Advisory for our area will last until 1:00 AM Sunday with gusts of 60mph possible over the peaks. Even after the advisory expires, the rain possibilities and high winds will linger until early Monday. Temps are mild and holding steady in the upper 40s, but the wind chill is going to have conditions feeling quite cool up top, especially for those folks dressed unprepared in these sour elements. Trails are turning into a bit of a slog between the wet weather and leaf litter trapping the moisture in the mud. So tread carefully on slick surfaces this weekend. Reminder that clocks roll back tonight, so folks will be waking up to more daylight in the sky than we’re used to of late. Of course the flip side to that coin means darker skies come sooner starting tomorrow evening. As we always do upon the conclusion of daylight savings, overnight guests will be served supper at 6:15 PM after sunset instead of before. For reference, sunset will now be taking place just after 5:30 PM, so that gives guests ample time to enjoy the grand show at Cliff Tops then safely trek back down to the lodge for a filling meal. Have a great weekend. Good Morning,
Another stunning East Tennessee sunrise greets sleepy-eyed guests this morning. This first Friday of November is set to bring us plenty of sunshine and blue skies to bask in. We might just see the thermometer climb up out of the 40s and creep close to 60° today. Unusually warm for this time of year, but if it means keeping trails dry and with food traction, we’ll take it. The real story of the weekend is going to be the winds, with the speeds ratcheting up by tonight. A Wind Advisory is in effect from 8:00 PM tonight through 2:00 AM Sunday, calling for gusts as high as 60mph over the mountains. Plenty of clouds and chances of scattered rain showers are also expected the entire weekend. After nearly a month and a half of superb sunny weekends, we are overdue for one with a little precip. Temps are expected to remain rather warm thankfully, so hikers can focus more on keeping dry the next few days. Reminder that daylight savings time ends after Saturday night, in which everyone will need to roll back the clocks. Beginning this Sunday, we will be adjusting the time overnight guests are served supper to AFTER sunset. So guests can enjoy the solar spectacle at Cliff Tops, then conclude their day with a tasty lodge supper at 6:15 PM. Breakfast will still be served at 8:00 AM. Gift shop hours will remain 8:30-9:30 AM and 12:00-4:30 PM. Overnight guests will have access to beverages at various times throughout the day, and of course during both meals. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Despite some patchy fog at various elevations to begin this Thursday, skies will clear up with sunshine abound for the majority. Temps in the 50s will feel stellar for an early November day and winds will remain calm. The mercury will bottom out in the 40s overnight. Friday should also start out pleasant, but later that day we could witness some precip chances flare up. Clouds and rain could also be a presence throughout the weekend along with gusty winds. So enjoy this nice weather we have today if you are in the area. Down to 20 days left in the season now and it’s going quick! Have a great day. Good Morning,
November is bringing back that which we have needed for quite a while now…some wet weather! Clouds and mist will be a constant presence today with the strongest chance of precip happening about mid afternoon. Temps are holding steady between the 40s and 50s, and although it’s felt rather warm lower down the mountain, there’s a slight chill up top in these conditions. So bring those layers for staying warm and dry upon arrival to the lodge. Little to no wind action is expected today and tonight. A return to sunshine is set for the next couple days. About all that’s left for leaf peeping is at or below 3,000’ now, with the recent winds and rains really delivering a knockout blow to the mid elevations. Even what’s happening down low is getting patchy, with canopies mostly bare now and the forest understory providing most of the color. And a heads up about the upcoming time change happening this Sunday. As is always the case this time of year, once the clocks fall back an hour, the lodge pushes guest supper AFTER sunset. We’ll post all of our updated service times in the coming days. Guests with reservations should take heed though, and still make every effort to ascend the mountain with plenty of daylight still in the sky. Even with just three brief weeks remaining in the season, there’s always the potential for sudden turbulent weather. It can cause temporary road closures forcing hikers to take longer trails up the mountain. 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
May 2024
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