• Conservation Programs
• Man & Biosphere Reserve Program
• The Nature Conservancy
• Protecting Endangered Species
• Sixteen Distinct Natural Communities
• Blue Ridge Parkway Viaduct

• Interpreting What You See Here
• Naturalist Programs
• The Nature Museum
• About the Museum
• Museum Exhibits
• Acid Rain
• Amethyst
• Man & Biosphere
• Real Time Weather
• Weather Records
• Geology
• Birding
• Wildflower Bloom Calendar

 

Weather Records

51 Years of Weather Records From The US Weather Service Reporting Station On Grandfather Mountain

The official US Weather Service Reporting Station located at the Swinging Bridge Visitor Center has been providing daily weather observations since August of 1955.

Each day, trained Grandfather Mountain employees call the National Weather Service regional office in Asheville to report the minimum and maximum temperatures, rainfall, snowfall, wind direction and velocity. A monthly record of that information is filed each month with the Department of Commerce.

Weather instruments are accessible to the public in two locations. A wind gauge and a digital thermometer are located across from the main entry to the Visitor Center and a computerized weather readout is incorporated into the weather exhibit in the Nature Museum.

With rare exceptions, the temperature will be 10 to 20 degrees cooler at Grandfather Mountain than in the flatlands below. The average rate is 2.2 degrees per 1,000 feet, meaning that for each thousand feet gained, the air is 2.2 degrees cooler.

	Rainfall
Average Annual Rainfall	63.04 in.
Most Rain in One Day	11.3 in.	September 8, 2004
Most Rain in Two Days	12.15 in.	September 7-8, 2004
Most Rain in One Month	32.3 in.	September, 2004
Least Rain in One Month	0.31 in.	October 1963

 

Wind Speed
Since February 2007 when the NWS approved meter was installed: Highest observed wind speed	95.45 mph	February 19, 2007 February 23, 2007
Since the year 2000 when the 24/7 meter was installed: Ave. Number of Days Per Year Winds in excess of 60 mph		92 days
Since the year 2000 when the 24/7 meter was installed: Ave. Number of Days Per Year Winds in excess of 100 mph		24 days

 

	Snowfall
Average Winter Snow	55.69 in.
Most Snow in One Winter	129 in.	1959-60
Least Snow in One Winter	7.5 in.	1957-58
Most Snow in One Month	55.06 in.	January 1977
Most Snow in One Day	24 in.	March 16, 1993
Earliest Fall Snow		September 10, 1964
Latest Spring Snow		May 27, 1961

 

Temperature Records (In Degrees Fahrenheit)
Highest Temperature	83 degrees	August 22, 1983 July 26, 2005
Lowest Temperature	-32 degrees	January 21, 1985

 

Average Daily Temperatures by month
	Ave. High	Ave. Low
January	35.43	19.89
February	37.59	21.90
March	44.51	28.41
April	53.78	36.98
May	60.68	45.37
June	66.04	52.74
July	69.22	56.50
August	68.18	56.00
September	62.67	50.50
October	54.22	40.67
November	46.26	32.09
December	38.57	23.95

 

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