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My brothers and I plan to hike part of the AT for a week at the end of July-early August in North Carolina. Is there a good site that might have a prediction of whether we'll be dealing with rain? The last couple of years, we got hit with a lot of rain and we'd like to have some warning if we'll have to deal with that again.
Footslogger
07-06-2005, 12:00
Any website that would offer a 25 - 30 prediction of weather along the AT wouldn't be very credible in my opinion. If you're looking for trend information the Farmers Almanac would probably be as accurate as it gets. Weather along the AT isn't all that predictable. That said ...there have been "dry" and "wet" years. From my reading of journals I would say that 2005 falls somewhere in the middle.
Take your raingear ...at least your rain jacket.
Enjoy your hike.
'Slogger
Corvis. IT WILL RAIN! When it rains you may be able to get in some longer days then.....what else are ya gonna do. Just stay off (or get off) those balds duing the lightning and keep some dry clothes handy for the evening. Rainy days make those sunny days all the better! ENJOY!
I like that saying that goes something like, I don't pick the weather; the weather picks me. Here in the TN/NC mountians rain is predicted everyday this time of year. We get a little rain here and there a few times a week, the clouds keep it cool. A little summertime rain is part of the outdoor adventure. Even so being interested doesn't hurt and neither does knowing if a big storm is on the way. I carry a little radio to keep me up to date.
Rain Man
07-06-2005, 12:55
I check with Yahoo weather and The Weather Channel-dot-com sites before heading out onto the Trail. Is that what you mean?
And like others have said, it's gonna rain. Fortunately, it'll feel GOOD on those sweaty afternoon climbs!
Rain:sunMan
.
My prediction. Hot and muggy, then rain, followed by a downpour, thunder and lightning, tapering off to hot and muggy.
saimyoji
07-06-2005, 23:52
Can you say 'hurrican season?' If you only get a little wet that time of year consider yourselves lucky. Sure its not common for a full blown hurricane to hit the AT, but they sure carry a lot of water and spread it all around.
Some one on this site said: If you hike the AT for a week or more you are guaranteed to get rained on. Count on it.
Sorry, your question was about weather prediction sites. NOAA, any local news station website for the area you'll be hiking in, AOL, usatoday, weather.com...just do a google search for weather in the area you'll be in, you'll have more than enough info.
Best advice was on lightning. Try to avoid it. And hypothermia too.
Mr. Clean
07-07-2005, 08:46
I would learn to read the clouds. Some clouds mean good weather for a while, others mean rain is on the way. Not sure of websites, but I'm sure you can Google the stuff. You'll also soon get a feel for if it's going to rain or not by just 'feeling' the environment around you.
My brothers and I plan to hike part of the AT for a week at the end of July-early August in North Carolina. Is there a good site that might have a prediction of whether we'll be dealing with rain? The last couple of years, we got hit with a lot of rain and we'd like to have some warning if we'll have to deal with that again.
Intellicast.com is cool weather site. It will not give you a weather report for that far out, but it is a good resource to check in on.
Whistler
07-07-2005, 13:14
Check out http://weather.unisys.com (http://weather.unisys.com/). It won't help a month in advance, but I like it because it has lots of raw data and graphs and charts available. Very handy for weather nerds. Another bonus is that it doesn't have any advertising.
-Mark
I think that for safety's sake alone, you should be prepared for rain . So even if some almanac or zodiac or college boy on the radio tells you it's gonna be dry, I would bring enough raingear anyway. At least a poncho and extra socks. The Boy Scout Motto is good advice, and has undoubtably saved lives.
( I confess, I carry a radio too )
squirrel bait
07-07-2005, 16:47
From one Iowan to another I agree with Sly, rain is going to happen. Enjoy. Hiking wet aint no big deal, hopefully not five out of eight days like last year at this time for me. What part Iowa ya from?
What part Iowa ya from?
Hi squirrel bait. I live in Coralville.
Thanks for the suggestions and advice everyone.
Bob Baker
07-12-2005, 23:51
www.accuweather.com is the best long range weather website I have found. It gives you a 15 day forecast while most other sites only give you 10 day forecasts. The only problem is that it is not too accurate. I would just use it to get a rough idea of what kind of weather you will be facing.
Miss Daisy
07-15-2005, 23:42
If you are going to NC this year, get prepared for a lot of rain...I just got back Wednesday...it poured every day I was there (from Saturday-Wednesday)...7 inches in 1 day!!!...I was in the Brevard area but talked to some folks in Cherokee and up around Fontana...they said it has been a very rainy season....I was on a trail up in Pisgah National Forest and it was muck. Good luck! They had a drought for about 3 years...I guess it is over after this season. On the bright side...the waterfalls were really flowing!!!
My brothers and I plan to hike part of the AT for a week at the end of July-early August in North Carolina. Is there a good site that might have a prediction of whether we'll be dealing with rain? The last couple of years, we got hit with a lot of rain and we'd like to have some warning if we'll have to deal with that again.
I have lived in NC for 20 years. Without regard to tropical depressions and hurricanes, the normal summer weather pattern is; low probablility of rain in the morning hours, a high probability of late afternoon and early evening isolated or scattered thunderstorms, clearing off by the evening. How isolated and scattered depends upon where you are standing at the time, though there is a higher occurance of daily thunderstorms in the mountains.
I like the NOAA sight, here's a link to Asheville NC forcast.
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ifps/MapClick.php?CityName=Asheville&state=NC&site=GSP
I like the NOAA sight, here's a link to Asheville NC forcast.
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ifps/MapClick.php?CityName=Asheville&state=NC&site=GSP
Oh good, I'm hiking in the Smokies the next 4 days and it's calling for likely T-storms which is sure to beat this oppressive heat and humidity we've been experiencing so far this week.
Footslogger
07-27-2005, 15:46
Sly ...c'mon out and join me on the CDT. No humidity to speak of and we're actually having rather pleasant temps this week. Course, there are those gully washer rain storms about every afternoon this time of year.
'Slogger
Sly ...c'mon out and join me on the CDT. No humidity to speak of and we're actually having rather pleasant temps this week. Course, there are those gully washer rain storms about every afternoon this time of year.
Oh man, I can think of no place I'd rather be then on the CDT right now. I can't believe it's been 3 years already... About this time we just finished the Winds, encountered 3 Griz in the Gros Venture, partied in Dubois and entered the Teton Wilderness!
I hope to be back out there in '07
Footslogger
07-27-2005, 16:12
I hope to be back out there in '07=====================================
Well ...hopefully we'll still be here in Laramie and I can get out to hike a section or more with you.
'Slogger
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Well ...hopefully we'll still be here in Laramie and I can get out to hike a section or more with you.
That would be great!
Prior to hiking the CDT, I didn't give Wyoming much thought beyond getting through the Red Desert. It turned out it was amazingly friendly, especially after Colorado, and by far the most diverse of any state.
Footslogger
07-27-2005, 16:35
[QUOTE=Sly]That would be great!
Prior to hiking the CDT, I didn't give Wyoming much thought beyond getting through the Red Desert. It turned out it was amazingly friendly
==========================================
Well ...prior to moving out here you could have convinced me that Wyoming didn't really exist. My only knowledge of Wyoming was that it occupied space on a map and was the location of Cheyenne and many of my childhood cowboy heros. I had never seen it or ever met anyone from the state.
But, I gotta tell you, after 3 years here I think it's one of the best kept secrets going. No state income tax (in fact we have a surplus at the state level) and more land than people. Everything from mountains (real ones) to desert. Folks out here are rather direct but at the same time are quite genuine and hospitable.
Now the weather (since this IS a thread about weather) is another thing. Darned near constant winds >30 mph and pretty harsh winters. Guess there has to be a trade-off somewhere. I think the rest makes up for it.
'Slogger
saimyoji
07-28-2005, 03:25
Now who the hell was that man from Laramie? :rolleyes:
Footslogger
07-28-2005, 11:58
Now who the hell was that man from Laramie? :rolleyes:===================================
What man from Laramie ?? ...you mean ME ??
'Slogger