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C-Stepper
04-24-2005, 19:14
I hope everyone is playing it safe out there!

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/2342294p-8720277c.html

"Hikers Dave Skelly, 51, left, and his son Dave Skelly Jr., 19, of Ogdensburgh, N.Y., try to hitch a ride to Gatlinburg, Tenn., as snow falls at the North Carolina and Tennessee border. The pair were hiking the Appalachian Trail to Maine. "

Per our local news, http://www.wral.com/news/4410756/detail.html

N.C. Mountains Catch Tail Of Midwest Winter Storm System



<TEXT id=txt_posted>POSTED:</TEXT> 5:07 pm EDT April 24, 2005


<!--startindex-->LINVILLE, N.C. -- A weather system that brought up to a foot of rare spring snowfall to the Midwest swiped its tail across western North Carolina, dropping one to seven inches of powder in the mountains.

By midday Sunday, five inches of snow had fallen on Grandfather Mountain near Linville, and accumulations reached half a foot near the northern Tennessee line, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Anita Silverman.

"It ranges anywhere from just around an inch close to the foothills to six to seven inches by the Tennessee line," Silverman, from the NWS office in Blacksburg, Va., said. "Mostly it's the ridgetop and the higher elevations that have gotten the higher amounts." <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

More was expected as the day progressed, and the weather service issued a snow advisory for the northern North Carolina mountains through Sunday evening.

"It could be another inch of new snow before it starts to pull out," Silverman said.

On Grandfather Mountain, the low dropped to 16 degrees overnight and winds reached 139 mph. Average April snowfall at the mountaintop weather station is 3.78 inches, but this month's total has reached 10.25 inches.

High temperatures for the region were running about 25 degrees below normal for this time of year -- more than a month after the first day of spring -- and similarly unseasonable cold was reported across the state Sunday.

"It's pretty unusual," Silverman said. "It's getting late enough in the year that it's significantly below normal temperatures."

The cold snap was part of a storm system that dumped up to a foot of snow on parts of the Midwest on Sunday, knocking out power to thousands of customers and postponing a Major League Baseball game for the second day in a row.

Officials in the national parks and forests in North Carolina said they had no immediate reports of problems among backcountry enthusiasts who might have headed out to the woods despite the weather warnings.

"Hopefully they were prepared, because this was definitely well advertised," Silverman noted.

Temperatures were expected to begin climbing through Monday, with highs reaching more or less normal levels by midweek.<!--stopindex-->
Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press (http://www.wral.com/news/2455821/detail.html). All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

Mother Nature
04-24-2005, 19:42
Smokestack and I hiked on the AT from Stecoah Gap, NC up and over Cheoha Bald and down the Bartram Trail to NOC on Saturday in the bad weather. We ran into about 12 NOBOs including Skywalker, Seth, Crash and Muddy. All doing well. We had heavy sleet all day but no snow that far south in NC. Temps were about 32-34 all day at the higher elevation. Heavy winds at times.

Jack Tarlin
04-25-2005, 13:39
Mt. Dew and I almost froze our asses off two nights ago in Carter Gap shelter; for anyone interested, a thirty degree bag don't cut it when it's 27 and windy as a bastard......thought we'd avoided this problem by leaving Georgia as late as we did, but no.

Anyway, coulda been worse higher up, it must've been pretty miserable on Roan High Knob shelter & Overmountain must've been a bit brisk as well.

Anyway, coming down a thousand feet changed things pretty dramatically, tho hiking in the snow all day yesterday was actually kind of fun; it makes for good mileage as you take fewer breaks.

All's well in Franklin where we're taking a break; Ron Haven and his staff at the motel have been great to us. Off tomorrow for some higher country; taking it a bit easy, hope to be in the NOC in 2-3 days, Fontana Dam on Sunday, into the park on Monday. Looking forward to better weather as the week proceeds, hope this finds everyone at WB happy and well.

Youngblood
04-25-2005, 14:30
Dang Jack... first you get toasted then you get frozen. You go through this everytime you thru-hike?

Have a good one,
Youngblood

RockyTrail
04-25-2005, 15:32
Dang Jack... first you get toasted then you get frozen. You go through this everytime you thru-hike?

Have a good one,
YoungbloodIt's a new UL technique called "freeze-drying" on the trail, saves 8 oz. per pound of food:)

DavidNH
04-25-2005, 19:55
I am wondering exactly where this Grand Father mountain is? and what is its elevation? link to newspaper article spoke of teens and wind to 139 mph? Do you really get 100 plus mile per hour peaks on those southern mountains? I would expect that in the Whites but not down there! WOW!

orangebug
04-25-2005, 20:04
Indeed, you get some extreme weather at Grandfather. It is pretty much due east of Roan, but drains north and west (western slopes) toward the relo north of US 19E heading toward Hampton, TN. Wait till you see the flood damage from last year's hurricanes that dumped 13 inches per hour on Grandfather.

The wind gets very extreme between the twin peaks of the nose and chin, with the suspension bridge getting really dicey from time to time. It is the big mountain on the eastern Blue Ridge, north of Mitchell and south of Rogers, becoming a bit of a wind funnel. The snow abd ice aren't nearly as dramatic as Mt Washington, but the winds get right up there.

The Old Fhart
04-25-2005, 20:22
NHhiker-"I am wondering exactly where this Grand Father mountain is? and what is its elevation? link to newspaper article spoke of teens and wind to 139 mph? Do you really get 100 plus mile per hour peaks on those southern mountains? I would expect that in the Whites but not down there! WOW!" Having worked for 4 winters for the Mount Washington Weather Observatory, I was familiar with the wind on Grandfather Mountain. Here is (http://www.asheville.com/news/windygfm-2.html) a link to the 194 mph winds they had on Grandfather Mountain this past April 4th.

Two Speed
04-25-2005, 20:51
And I thought Barney (Jr Adventure Dog) and I were being candy a***** when I bailed out north of Damascus this Sunday. For the record, a SOBO coming off of the Grayson Highlands said the ridges were brutal.

Lion King
04-26-2005, 11:42
From Kincora to Damascus on Iron Mtn...yupppers...lots of 20 degree weather, snow and wind...although yesterday was ASTOUNDING hiking weather...through it all, plus now I am in Damascus. Lots of snow this year for sure.

Wastrel
04-26-2005, 15:45
The weather station at Wine Spring gap near Wayah Bald, NC ( just south of the NOC)indicated 15F this past Sunday morning, with temps never climbing out of the mid-twenties. Burrrr ...

Ridge
04-26-2005, 23:26
Sat and Sun the National Weather Service Station on top of Leconte showed low temps of 9 degrees. I could not find a wind speed. hikerwife

halibut15
04-27-2005, 07:26
I was on Brasstown Bald (just off the AT) in Georgia on Sunday afternoon watching Lance Armstrong in a bike race, and I'd guess the wind was whipping around up in the 30 mph range with pretty heavy snow coming down near the top of the mtn. (~4700 ft.) with some sleet near the bottom. Made for an interesting day...

Jaybird
04-27-2005, 08:22
looks like "the MODEL T (http://www.modelt.net) Crew" has some soggy weather ahead for our section-hike



weather.com (http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/garden/weather/tenday.html?locid=USNC0330&from=36hr_fcst_garden&from=null)

i'm leaving for the trail t'morrow (w/ "Jigsaw") & will be out APR 28-May 20
APR28-May 5 (w/"The Model T crew") Hot Springs - Erwin (Nobo)
May 6 & 7 Carvers Gap- Erwin (Sobo)
May 8-20 Damascus-Pearisburg (Nobo)



Ya'll PLAY NICE! :D

Moon Monster
04-27-2005, 22:59
and what is its elevation?

Calloway Peak on Grandfather is 5964 feet. There are over 700 peaks in North Carolina over 4000 feet.

astrogirl
05-07-2005, 23:20
Anyway, coulda been worse higher up, it must've been pretty miserable on Roan High Knob shelter & Overmountain must've been a bit brisk as well.

It was about 45 on Roan at 10 or 11am or so on May 2.

I went over Roan and stayed at Overmountain on the night of May 2. I was probably 28. It was definitely under the freeze line, as there was a goodly frost on the grass. Once the sun popped over the mountain, it got better quickly, but there was frozen water and frost heaved mud on Hump on the morning of May 3 at 10am.

Darn cold for May.

-Astrogirl

http://www.astrogirl.com/blog/Backpacking/