Weather down south [Archive]

Special-K

01-07-2011, 19:54

I'm just curious as to how cold it will be in Georgia in March. I know it will be cold, but curious for a more detailed description. Trying to figure wether i need a winter coat or if i can just layer up. I would like to avoid a winter coat for bulk and weight issues. any help will be appreciated.

HiKen2011

01-07-2011, 19:59

At elevation here in GA, and sometimes below it CAN get into the single digits on occasion, typical March weather is cool and windy 20-30 at night and high in the 50's, however there can be cold and snow at elevation into early May. Be prepared!! :)

Blissful

01-07-2011, 20:05

You need to be prepared for teens to 50s. So that means taking what you need for varying temps. And an insulated jacket doesn't weigh that much

Llama Legs

01-07-2011, 21:18

It gets dark early and you'll want to be warm without being forced into your sleeping bag every evening. 12 hours on wood planking gets old even when you're 20! I'd look for a deal on a down jacket. You'll get away with a lighter sleeping bag as well. I found an old Sears duck down coat for $2.50 at the thrift store, plus tax...

The Solemates

01-07-2011, 21:56

as others have said, teens are most likely the coldest temps you will have in march. although, i have been in GA before and had temps below 0 in March if you factor in the windchill.

generoll

01-07-2011, 22:11

I took some people back to their car last week from Connecticut. They said they'd come to Georgia to hike cause they figured it couldn't be all that cold. Went home early.

HiKen2011

01-07-2011, 22:15

I took some people back to their car last week from Connecticut. They said they'd come to Georgia to hike cause they figured it couldn't be all that cold. Went home early.

Suppose to be 10 degrees here Wednesday morning I think, high low 20's, not terribly unusual. Last yr we had 10 days, don't remember the Month, it didn't get out of the 20's for a high. That was here at home, 740 ft elevation. I'm sure in the mountains low of probably negative temps!

The Cleaner

01-08-2011, 00:42

In years past I have been out when the lows were only in the 40's in January.In the south ,in the spring it could be near 70 one day and days later highs would be in the 20's.One year got down to 15 in mid April.:eek:

BradMT

01-08-2011, 19:29

i have been in GA before and had temps below 0 in March if you factor in the windchill.

No one in cold climes talks about windchill otherwise we'd be depressed...

Fog Horn

01-08-2011, 19:56

I want to start out early March as well and have read quite a few of the trail journals. Most of them encountered snow, so go in prepared to face snow. If you carry two pounds extra for a couple of weeks and don't need it, its better than shaving the weight and freezing all night long.

Egads

01-08-2011, 22:43

BradMT

01-08-2011, 23:30

Special-K

01-09-2011, 11:05

Thanks for the input.

swjohnsey

01-09-2011, 11:18

Not meaning to be a smart Azz, but every year people ask about the weather at (name the place); why don't you use NOAA, Weather Underground, or WB http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/weather.php and get more reliable data?

Yep, when you check out the weather history for the towns along the trail you might be surprised at what you find. Even factoring in slight elevation difference between reporting stations and elevation of trail the temps are much warmer than generally reported here.

traildust

01-09-2011, 11:39

Rain Man

01-09-2011, 11:42

Not meaning to be a smart Azz, but every year people ask about the weather at (name the place); why don't you use NOAA, Weather Underground, or WB http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/weather.php and get more reliable data?

Yep. It's the same for folks who ask about trail conditions, shelters, water, bears, trailhead access and parking, and the like, and never once contact the actual trail club that official maintains that section of trail, isn't it?

Rain:sunMan

.

scope

01-09-2011, 11:42

One other thing to consider is that when it gets cold in the south, it is often a wet cold, as opposed to a dry cold. It can be quite a bit more "chilly" at the same actual temps than what you might be used to. I think besides humidity, there's also the up and down factor where one day you're at 70 and then it drops and kind of catches you by surprise. Of course, the good thing is that if you wait a day or so, its not likely to stay frigid cold for very long. But you'll be wanting a down jacket for sure.

WILLIAM HAYES

01-09-2011, 12:35

carry a light weight down or synthetic jacket (patagonia down sweater or montbell thermawrap jacket) and layer -weather in the southern AT can be very cold-i see my gallery pictures I took in the smokies in march a few years ago- my advice is be prepared you can always send stuff home later when the weather gets better
Hillbilly

The Solemates

01-09-2011, 21:47

No one in cold climes talks about windchill otherwise we'd be depressed...

granted :)

ive been in GA before several times when the actual temp was below 0, but it wasnt in March

Sierra Echo

01-09-2011, 21:48

Its cold right now!

kanga

01-09-2011, 21:53

teens to high 20's/low 30's at night, sometimes down to the negative singles with windchill. 40's to 50's during the day. that being said, i have had my nalgene full of water freeze in my sleeping bag overnight in april.

Skidsteer

01-09-2011, 22:08

5 to 8 inches of snow today in smokies. nature is telling us that this will be one of the worst winters we've had. Local folks hre in the country say that since the first snow on the ground here in ky was Dec 26 we will have 26 snow falls. We have 16 more to go.

One other thing to consider is that when it gets cold in the south, it is often a wet cold, as opposed to a dry cold. It can be quite a bit more "chilly" at the same actual temps than what you might be used to. I think besides humidity, there's also the up and down factor where one day you're at 70 and then it drops and kind of catches you by surprise. Of course, the good thing is that if you wait a day or so, its not likely to stay frigid cold for very long. But you'll be wanting a down jacket for sure.

Its cold right now!

21 F. in Hot Springs, NC right now. In the "South"

Monson, Maine is 26 F.

Blissful

01-09-2011, 22:51

As for March, who knows about the weather. I had a 60 degree day March 6 hiking to Neel Gap. And 70s in the Smokies. And snow in April. Last year they had snow until April. You never know. SO one must be ready for everything.

The Solemates

01-10-2011, 02:13

21 F. in Hot Springs, NC right now. In the "South"

Monson, Maine is 26 F.

24 outside my window. just got in from a late night hike. there is 5 inches on the ground and its still coming down strong.

Speakeasy TN

01-10-2011, 06:38

24 outside my window. just got in from a late night hike. there is 5 inches on the ground and its still coming down strong.

Bread, milk, eggs.......check:banana

Marta

01-10-2011, 08:31

I'd be prepared to be comfortable at 20, and remain alive at zero. It will often (usually) be warmer than that, but if you're prepared for that level of cold you should be okay.

The climate along the ridgeline in NC/TN is similar to that of central Mass. Seriously. The trees and plants that flourished in Sudbury, Mass. (where I grew up) are the ones that grow at elevation in the southern Appalachians.

The other thing to know about springtime hiking in the southern Appalachians is that deepish dumps of heavy, wet snow are fairly common. For a hiker this translates into suddenly cutting your mileage to about 10-25% of what you had planned on doing. If you leave yourself a big margin for error in terms of food, fuel, and clothing, you'll be fine. If you are operating on the thin edge of safety, you may get into trouble.

That said, you should be able to hit a town or hostel every 2-3 days, where you can pick up a weather forecast. To say that snowstorms are major news events down here is a huge understatement. ;-)

Mrs Baggins

01-10-2011, 09:00

Bread, milk, eggs.......check:banana

And here in Maryland they like to add toilet paper and Little Debbie cakes! :D Hmmmmm......what does that say about the Little Debbie cakes? :eek:

jeremesh

01-10-2011, 09:08

True, but here in MD, the B-T-M runs start if we get flurries. Amazing how people panic at a few white flakes :)

The Cleaner

01-10-2011, 09:31

Its cold right now!
And snowing too.....Camp Creek Bald has almost 20" now and it's only 4844ft.I think Mt LeConte reports current conditions .Probably a call to the GSMNP hdqts, one could obtain current conditions for the high country.:-?

MJW155

01-11-2012, 01:09

Yep, when you check out the weather history for the towns along the trail you might be surprised at what you find. Even factoring in slight elevation difference between reporting stations and elevation of trail the temps are much warmer than generally reported here.

Official NWS temperatures are taken 5' off the ground in a covered box. There can be as much as a 5-7 degree difference in that 5'. (frost on the grass despite temperature readings in the upper 30's) So unless you are sleeping 5' off the ground, I would take those NWS temperatures with a grain of salt.

neonshaw

01-12-2012, 22:59

i am from GA, every March we always have a few days in the low 20's, never fails, mountains would be much colder.

Also March is notorious for a freakish snow storm in Atlanta, usually just a few inches but in the mountains its always double the amount in the city

so plan accordingly