View Full Version : Is this weather pattern normal?
I don't live out in the mountains of NC/TN, but it just seems odd that it is raining so much this summer. I don't ever recall this much rain, and it's forecast to continue to do so for the forseeable future. We are going on a 6 day trip from Erwin starting Sunday, and it's 40% or better chance of thunderstorms all 6 days. Good Lord! Accuweather has 90% on Monday and Tuesday, so it's even worse than the Weather Channels' forecast
We had the same weather two years ago. Rained for three straight weeks.
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I can remember going up on some trips in July and August and we weren't even sure we'd be able to find water, but you're right, it sometimes gets into this kind of weather.
It's like a permanent stationary front right over where we are going!
Traveler
07-07-2015, 12:19
Its not unusual for an occluded weather front to set up in the Southeast. Its a stationary front that holds warm, humid air to the south and east, allowing storms to move along the frontal system. It does move north and south at times, but not far. I have seen that set up as far north as Charleston WV and as far west as Memphis at the other end.
It's one of those things that, once it sets in, it's very hard to break. I guess it's the flip side of a Bermuda High.
rocketsocks
07-07-2015, 12:41
I don't live out in the mountains of NC/TN, but it just seems odd that it is raining so much this summer. I don't ever recall this much rain, and it's forecast to continue to do so for the forseeable future. We are going on a 6 day trip from Erwin starting Sunday, and it's 40% or better chance of thunderstorms all 6 days. Good Lord! Accuweather has 90% on Monday and Tuesday, so it's even worse than the Weather Channels' forecast
Define normal.
Some say the Chinese dumped barrels and barrels of this liquid in the water to act as a solar blanket there by changing the temperature of the pacific and changing our current weather pattern in an attempt to control weather. Same stuff you put in swimming pools to act as a noninvasive solar blanket. Seems to be working.
rocketsocks
07-07-2015, 12:46
It's that El Nemo~my buddy at work :D
...or, it could be just a Pacific Oscillation.
rocketsocks
07-07-2015, 12:48
Nametrag, headin' your way in about a month...whats our shark situation down there? wife wants to know. :D
They maybe had one or two attacks in Va Beach, but I think 9 down in NC. I haven't been to the beach in several years, so I haven't really kept up with it. I hate the beach and love the mountains...how ironic is that? lol
rocketsocks
07-07-2015, 13:02
They maybe had one or two attacks in Va Beach, but I think 9 down in NC. I haven't been to the beach in several years, so I haven't really kept up with it. I hate the beach and love the mountains...how ironic is that? lol
Brother I can totally relate, every year I get dragged to sit on the beach and twiddle my thumbs, how freaking boring is that, maybe this year we'll see some action.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRBtDe8nhzRQCToUdfzEIcPpKkItO_Px FBpQZzDXZaS9xcHz9leFg:4.bp.blogspot.com/-m9IZ2IY7IdE/UfbOmR2SnlI/AAAAAAAABD4/RPk-_XjwBxM/s1600/fs_shark_bear.JPG
Brother I can totally relate, every year I get dragged to sit on the beach and twiddle my thumbs, how freaking boring is that, maybe this year we'll see some action.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRBtDe8nhzRQCToUdfzEIcPpKkItO_Px FBpQZzDXZaS9xcHz9leFg:4.bp.blogspot.com/-m9IZ2IY7IdE/UfbOmR2SnlI/AAAAAAAABD4/RPk-_XjwBxM/s1600/fs_shark_bear.JPG
I am with you...being hot and sweaty, sunburned, with sand in places it doesn't belong, all the while being bitten by no see-ums, with your only choice of relief being to go in shark-infested waters to cool off... it is not my idea of a good time.
rocketsocks
07-07-2015, 20:55
I am with you...being hot and sweaty, sunburned, with sand in places it doesn't belong, all the while being bitten by no see-ums, with your only choice of relief being to go in shark-infested waters to cool off... it is not my idea of a good time.LOL, Yup, every time i'm on the beach and looking out at the Ocean, I hear this voice directly behind me.
...C'mon Johnny, come to the mountains, ya know ya wanna. Do it Socks, bail on family...go west young man. hehe
2NewKnees
07-07-2015, 21:55
No rain the past 2 days. But, we had strong afternoon thunderstorms all last week. Seems like we have been stuck in a wet weather pattern! But, I'll definitely take it over the alternative. Springs should be flowing well when you go on your trip.
Don't remember the year but my cousins visited once and it rained almost two months straight. They finally got fed up and left, and it stopped raining. So, yes, thus weather is within the norm.
MuddyWaters
07-07-2015, 22:33
I don't live out in the mountains of NC/TN, but it just seems odd that it is raining so much this summer. I don't ever recall this much rain, and it's forecast to continue to do so for the forseeable future. We are going on a 6 day trip from Erwin starting Sunday, and it's 40% or better chance of thunderstorms all 6 days. Good Lord! Accuweather has 90% on Monday and Tuesday, so it's even worse than the Weather Channels' forecast
This has been the wettest spring and summer i can remember in the southeast, at least in the past 25 yrs or so
My daughter plays college softball. They play about 40-50 games a season. This spring, 20 games were rained or snowed out, and they dont make them up.
The afternoon summer thunderstorms have been some of the most violent ive ever seen around here too, high winds, strong lightning and torrential rain.
Vegan Packer
07-07-2015, 23:39
I just got back from four days in the western part of North Carolina. Lots of rain. It rained every night, but mostly after we were already in our tents. We got late starts every morning, waiting for it to stop before getting out of the tent or making the final break down of camp. It would stop just after noon each day, and the afternoons were mostly dry. Of course, it would always work out that we would put on the rain gear just in time for it to stop raining, but if we didn't put it on, then it would keep coming down. :rolleyes:
31243
It was a good trip, but there was plenty of rain. BTW, I'm the guy on the right.
perdidochas
07-08-2015, 11:33
Define normal.
Some say the Chinese dumped barrels and barrels of this liquid in the water to act as a solar blanket there by changing the temperature of the pacific and changing our current weather pattern in an attempt to control weather. Same stuff you put in swimming pools to act as a noninvasive solar blanket. Seems to be working.
I'd like more information on that please. I know about the stuff, but can't imagine how it would work on a large scale.
rocketsocks
07-08-2015, 11:42
I'd like more information on that please. I know about the stuff, but can't imagine how it would work on a large scale.
Yup me to. Sorry, all I can say is I heard about his from a less than credable source (conspirathist type) but it was so outlandish it raised a brow.
rocketsocks
07-08-2015, 11:42
...in addition it was one I'd never heard before.
bigcranky
07-08-2015, 13:55
We are going on a 6 day trip from Erwin starting Sunday, and it's 40% or better chance of thunderstorms all 6 days. Good Lord! Accuweather has 90% on Monday and Tuesday, so it's even worse than the Weather Channels' forecast
We just completed a six day hike in the Mt Rogers area. The first day had a 90% chance of rain with severe thunderstorms, the second day was 100% chance of rain with severe thunderstorms, then one nice day, then 50-60% chance of rain and thunderstorms every day to end the trip.
We never got a drop of rain while hiking.
Now, sure, it was threatening most of the time, dark clouds and rumbles in the distance, but we had long hours of hot sunshine, and some amazing severe thunderstorms at night, safely inside our tent (the one on the top of Whitetop was freakin' epic).
And when you go it will rain every day all day, and be clear at night when you're in your tent :) But in any case the forecast for the mountains may be accurate overall, but individual locations vary wildly.
I don't live out in the mountains of NC/TN, but it just seems odd that it is raining so much this summer. I don't ever recall this much rain, and it's forecast to continue to do so for the forseeable future. We are going on a 6 day trip from Erwin starting Sunday, and it's 40% or better chance of thunderstorms all 6 days. Good Lord! Accuweather has 90% on Monday and Tuesday, so it's even worse than the Weather Channels' forecast
Interesting I would have picked a different year than this one (from my 30 years of living in No. VA. So I looked up some weather records.
It depend on how you count as usual. Is it based upon the most rainfall ever or the most number of days with rain. Big difference.
For the mid-atlantic as a whole 2011 was the wettest summer (total rainfall).
That being said there are plenty of locations in the region where 2011 was not their highest. Region as as whole compared to specific location also gets different answers.
But the pesky thing to most people is not how much you have gotten but how many times it rained.
On my thru in '06 I got rained on 41 times. I thought that was a lot until I talked to someone who hiked in '03 (much worse). But that is always dependent on chance to some extent as if you are not living right every thunderstorm seems to find you :)
Pedaling Fool
07-08-2015, 20:30
I'm in the D.C. area and it's raining like crazy all the freakin' time and Florida (Jacksonville) is hardly getting any rain and this is their wet season.
There is no normal, per se, but it is outside of what's average. Or you could say, it's normal for there to be times of intense, long lasting rains and then there are times of drought, so in that sense it's normal, but still outside the average rainfall you'd expect for this time of year.
We're playing with rainfall records here in the D.C. area http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/06/28/saturday-soaker-sets-daily-record-in-d-c-june-2nd-wettest-on-record/
JumpMaster Blaster
07-09-2015, 16:39
Nametrag, headin' your way in about a month...whats our shark situation down there? wife wants to know. :D
Not sure about Va Beach, but NC/SC is experiencing a "feeding frenzy"
Pedaling Fool
07-09-2015, 16:43
Strange year for sharks:-?
Traveler
07-09-2015, 17:09
Stranger if you are a kid on a boogie board.
Spirit Walker
07-09-2015, 18:13
It really depends on the year. Some years are notoriously wet all spring and summer, others have periods of a month or two that see daily rain, but not for the entire summer. Here in southern PA, although we've had a lot of rain the past month, we were really dry in the spring, so our overall rainfall is still only a little over half normal. On my first AT thruhike, it rained constantly in New England, but we didn't see much rain at all until then. The overall fit the average of one day in three with some sort of precipitation, but Mass - Maine was a mudpit.
rocketsocks
07-09-2015, 21:57
Not sure about Va Beach, but NC/SC is experiencing a "feeding frenzy"Perfect, I'll let her know. :D thinking of reading this while on the beach
http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320480344l/872971.jpg
Pedaling Fool
07-09-2015, 23:07
Perfect, I'll let her know. :D thinking of reading this while on the beach
http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320480344l/872971.jpg
And need some music to listen to on your boom box while sitting on the beach :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb8t3Lt8iJw
.
August W.
07-10-2015, 20:44
Yeah it's mostly normal weather for the southern Appalachians though it is often much wetter than this year. The "normal" summer weather pattern that I remember best brought widely scattered mid/late afternoon thunderstorms that would last from 20 minutes to an hour. The southern Appalachians are a temperate rainforest and are definitely blessed with water, and I wouldn't trade the annoying rains for the West's drought and forest for a second.
Started from Harpers Ferry on May 3. During the first three weeks there was only two afternoons with rain. After that, Mother Nature was just making up for the shortfall.
Well, we did our trip, and it was wet and miserable about 90% of the time. I have never seen so much rain in my life. We started on Sunday the 12th from Erwin, and within an hour we were dumped on by a heavy downpour that lasted at least 45 minutes. We had so much rain, that I may not recall everything right, but I believe Monday night was the night the near-tornado conditions hit just after dark near Cherry Gap Shelter. Our tent was within an inch of being completely flooded, and we had to move it in the pouring rain. We encountered some downed trees which had been snapped off, and even heard one fall. Then on Tuesday it rained from about 6:30 to 9:30 am, but cleared off and appeared like it was going to be nice for a while as we got to the Clyde Smith Shelter, but overnight it began raining and continued for the early morning part of our hike. As we went up to Roan High Knob on Wednesday, it was no longer raining, but misty instead, and it "rained" on our tents all night from the trees being so heavy with water. Thursday, it was misty and foggy as we went over the first of the balds where we saw the sheep, but finally cleared off in the afternoon for our first really nice views as we descended down towards Overmountain Shelter and up and over Little Hump...where we camped in the woods right before Bradley Gap, and received a few showers during the night. Friday, it was just misty all the way over Big Hump and never rained.
In summary, we had one typical summer afternoon thunderstorm, but we stayed wet and miserable most of the time. The hike was still worth it, and I am glad I did it. The half day of great views of wildflower meadows and Little Hump were well worth it!
Another Kevin
07-20-2015, 16:47
In summary, we had one typical summer afternoon thunderstorm, but we stayed wet and miserable most of the time. The hike was still worth it, and I am glad I did it. The half day of great views of wildflower meadows and Little Hump were well worth it!
Sounds like a great trip. "An adventure is an inconvenience rightly viewed."
Sounds like a great trip. "An adventure is an inconvenience rightly viewed."
As soon as we were done, we went to Boone for a recovery night of beer and pizza at the Appalachian Mountain Brewing Co, and started trying to figure out where to go next summer. We are true masochists.
As soon as we were done, we went to Boone for a recovery night of beer and pizza at the Appalachian Mountain Brewing Co, and started trying to figure out where to go next summer. We are true masochists.
I love the AMBC. Awesome pizza from the coolest food truck ever.
They call that section of NC a rain forest for good reason. Glad you had a good time.
Wayne
Sent from somewhere around here.
Pedaling Fool
07-21-2015, 07:06
Well, we did our trip, and it was wet and miserable about 90% of the time. I have never seen so much rain in my life. We started on Sunday the 12th from Erwin, and within an hour we were dumped on by a heavy downpour that lasted at least 45 minutes. We had so much rain, that I may not recall everything right, but I believe Monday night was the night the near-tornado conditions hit just after dark near Cherry Gap Shelter. Our tent was within an inch of being completely flooded, and we had to move it in the pouring rain. We encountered some downed trees which had been snapped off, and even heard one fall. Then on Tuesday it rained from about 6:30 to 9:30 am, but cleared off and appeared like it was going to be nice for a while as we got to the Clyde Smith Shelter, but overnight it began raining and continued for the early morning part of our hike. As we went up to Roan High Knob on Wednesday, it was no longer raining, but misty instead, and it "rained" on our tents all night from the trees being so heavy with water. Thursday, it was misty and foggy as we went over the first of the balds where we saw the sheep, but finally cleared off in the afternoon for our first really nice views as we descended down towards Overmountain Shelter and up and over Little Hump...where we camped in the woods right before Bradley Gap, and received a few showers during the night. Friday, it was just misty all the way over Big Hump and never rained.
In summary, we had one typical summer afternoon thunderstorm, but we stayed wet and miserable most of the time. The hike was still worth it, and I am glad I did it. The half day of great views of wildflower meadows and Little Hump were well worth it!
That's hiking!
I love the AMBC. Awesome pizza from the coolest food truck ever.
They call that section of NC a rain forest for good reason. Glad you had a good time.
Wayne
Sent from somewhere around here.
That's hiking!
AMBC is great! Wish we lived close enough to go every week!
Yep, hiking at it's best, PF!