June 7, 2024

Good Morning,

Aside from a few pitter-patter moments of rain late yesterday morning and early afternoon, the mountain got through the day relatively unscathed from enduring any big storms. The dreariness and dampness of the clouds had it feeling chilly up top until the sun could take over, while down below that humidity had conditions feeling quite sticky. Today and tomorrow will be a different story, very much in favor of the hiker. Some patchy clouds might be present in the first hours after sunrise, but otherwise visitors to the Smokies can count on sunny skies now and to begin the weekend. We’re anticipating high temps near 60° today and then up around the mid 60s Saturday, while overnight lows should scrape the upper 40s. Winds are expected to have a role though, gusting up to 30mph at times, which could certainly shock the skin for anyone not quite used to such coolness in June. That long sleeve or wind breaker will be a helpful thing to have. Sunday looks like it’ll be a bit sloppy with the return of rain and storms, so it’s not far fetched to think that today, and particularly tomorrow, will be exceptionally busy on Mt. LeConte and across the national park.

Reminder that as we get deeper into the warmer months, wildlife both big and small will continue to actively forage in places often occupied by human visitors. This is their home, it is to be respected, and under no circumstance is it advisable (or permissible for that matter) to feed the wildlife. From squirrels to bears, doing so only encourages unnatural behavior that becomes dangerous and damaging to the animal, property, and other people. Keep safe distances and do not provoke wildlife, as it may view your attempt at a closer look as a threat and react in a violent manner involving kicks, claws, or bites. The NPS have literature on the matter everywhere, and all visitors to the Smokies, whether new or returning, are highly encouraged to read up.

Have a great day.