May 18, 2024

Good Morning,

We’ve woken up to this scene before. Clouds and mist greet mountain top residents this Saturday, as scattered rain showers dot the southern Appalachian region. Our socked-in state is expected to be the standard today, with chances for precip being low this morning but increasing during the afternoon. There is also the possibility for thunderstorms later. Temps are in the upper 40s as the last fluffy pancakes get flipped and farm fresh eggs get scrambled. The summit should spend some time in the 50s later on, with light winds possible. The entire weekend will be a wet one, as more sloppy weather is slated for Sunday. Keep toting those adequate layers for staying dry.

Spring’s arrival to the lodge is becoming more evident. Grasses and native perennials continue to gain height and thicken. And although there are but a handful of non-evergreens and shrubs suited for our elevation, those that are have begun to leaf out and blossom. The fire cherries and red elderberries visible from the trail are infrequent, the witch hobble a bit more common, each currently in bloom above 6,000’ now. The mountain ash of course occupies the most space that isn’t filled by spruces and firs, but its flowers won’t form until June, if at all, as their production of berries is inconsistent year to year. The Catawba rhododendron down lower at places like Inspiration Point appear to be having a recouping year after last spring’s mega bloom, as the vast majority have gone straight to putting out new leaves. We’ll anxiously wait to see what happens over the higher elevations in the coming weeks.

Have a great day.