October 29, 2023

Good Afternoon,

In a very short span these next 48 hours, our mountain is set to endure a taste of multiple season’s climates. Sunny and warm like summer today, rainy and mild like spring tomorrow, then icy and frigid like winter by Tuesday. The further along its revolution the Earth proceeds, combined with lessening daylight hours, the likelihood of these picturesque days to play outside in comfort becomes quite rare until next spring. Advice is to enjoy this if you can, which it appears many visitors to the Smokies are indeed doing once again today. Trails and roadways will be quite congested as folks get their last fill of freshly fallen or transforming leaves. Soon they’ll all be withered and windswept away, leaving us nothing these next months but cold and bare limbs.

​The thermometer will try its best to tag 60° degree this afternoon, but windy conditions will make that jacket a necessity, gusting as much as 35mph now through the holiday. Tomorrow is when temps start to slide downward as rain chances roll in around lunchtime. Folks with reservations Monday night would be wise to hit the trail early to avoid the sour weather as much as possible. Tomorrow evening is when we’ll say hello again to the freezing mark, while one can expect the liquid precip to eventually change over to snow. Any accumulation amounts remain unknown at this time, but we’ll go ahead and say bring those gloves, hats, waterproof boots, and traction devices anyways. Temps on Tuesday night will plummet into the teens, as windchills could have feeling it close to 0°. Have those plan Bs and Cs ready in case inclement weather causes temporary road closures.

Have a great rest of the day.