temperatures in March?

[vtdrifter]

I'm starting my thru-hike on March 1st. My dad is convinced I'm going to freeze. Therefore I'm interested to know what kind of temperatures people have experienced in Georgia and the Smokies in March.

Further details: I've been sleeping outside my house the last few nights. Temperatures have ranged between 10 and 20 degrees. I've been relatively comfortable, although a bit cold by morning. I've also been wearing/using just about every article of clothing I'm going to bring. I'm weighing the benefits of bringing an extra garment or two, so trying to figure out what I might expect.

Thanks!

[wrongway_08]

This was posted by someone else here, cant take credit for it. click on the degree area and it will give you a 5 or 7 day forcast.


Looks like 30 - 52 degrees the next week.

http://www.sophiaknows.com/atdb/weather.php

[vtdrifter]

Woah, hadn't seen that before. It looks awesome. Thank you!

[Nearly Normal]

Very cold to quite warm at times.

[Boudin]

The weather in March can be quite unpredictable here. It could be 10 and it could be 60. It might rain on you everyday while you are in GA or it may be beautiful. It might not rain at all. Don't count on weather reports being accurate. The reports are for town, not the ridge. The forecast for Blairsville may be mostly sunny with a high of 54 and an overnight low of 32. The reality on the trail may be cloudy, rainy, 35 feet visibility, high 40 and overnight low of 12 with snow. Be prepared!

[Kirby]

This was posted by someone else here, cant take credit for it. click on the degree area and it will give you a 5 or 7 day forcast.


Looks like 30 - 52 degrees the next week.

http://www.sophiaknows.com/atdb/weather.php

How did you get to that weather page?

Kirby

[chiefdaddy]

Last April I section hiked dick's creek to fontanna and it ranged from 70's to 10 degrees. I took a sip of water and a drop froze instantly on my jacket. Do not even kid yourself it will be cold and there will be rain and snow. You will be cold and wet with out a doubt. Cheers I'll see you there on the 1st!

[jersey joe]

You can expect a frozen water bottle on some mornings.

[The Solemates]

lows at night could be as mild as 40-50 degrees all the way down to below 0 if you make it to the smokies within 2 weeks like the average hiker.

[Tinker]

Your dad is right. Try running a marathon while you are fasting and get dehydrated to boot - then sleep outside. The first few days aren't too bad, but when you use up calories faster than you can take them in you sleep colder.
I felt just as cold on a 32 degree night on one trip as I did on a -20 degree night on another trip. The reason? I didn't drink enough and skipped dinner on the 32 degree night because I was too tired to cook.
The sleeping bag, in both cases, was rated to at least -40.

[Blissful]

We had twenties to 70's last year (including 70s in the SMokies. It was 8 degrees at night on the trail south of Franklin). And two snows in April. So prepare for both worlds.

[wrongway_08]

How did you get to that weather page?

Kirby

I posted a simular question a while back, I wanted to have the weather available for people visiting my Journals while I was hiking. Was try'n to find ways to let the sister's/brother's kids have more ways to be involved and learn while I'm doing my hike.

Another Whiteblazer posted the link.

[wrongway_08]

Woah, hadn't seen that before. It looks awesome. Thank you!

No problem

Also if you click on Springer Mtn (or any spot listed), it will give you Lat/Long, elevation...... really cool page!

[Darwin again]

You will freeze. Then thaw. Repeat.

[Venture]

This was posted by someone else here, cant take credit for it. click on the degree area and it will give you a 5 or 7 day forcast.


Looks like 30 - 52 degrees the next week.

http://www.sophiaknows.com/atdb/weather.php

I have never seen this either, cool web site!

[ChinMusic]

The first few days aren't too bad, but when you use up calories faster than you can take them in you sleep colder.
I felt just as cold on a 32 degree night on one trip as I did on a -20 degree night on another trip. The reason? I didn't drink enough and skipped dinner on the 32 degree night because I was too tired to cook.
The sleeping bag, in both cases, was rated to at least -40.

I have had similar experience as well. I would want some cushion in my bag rating early on and NOT skip dinner. One of the coldest sleeping nights I ever had was around 40° after I just didn't feel like eating. I learned a lesson.

[Gray Blazer]

Last April I section hiked dick's creek to fontanna and it ranged from 70's to 10 degrees. I took a sip of water and a drop froze instantly on my jacket. Do not even kid yourself it will be cold and there will be rain and snow. You will be cold and wet with out a doubt. Cheers I'll see you there on the 1st!

I was quite near you and I was camped on that ridge above Muskrat Creek Shelter when that cold front blew through about 2 AM. My front line wasn't guyed out too well and it got blown down in the first big blast. I restaked it and was fine in the morning. A lot of hikers got wet and cold that night. The weeks of near 70 degree weather had lulled them into a state of unpreparedness. Be prepared for anything.

[Pennsylvania Rose]

The Smokies can be crazy in March. One of the most extreme I've experienced there was about 10 years ago. We camped at Cade's Cove campground, where it was 70 and sunny. When we drove up to Newfound Gap the fog rolled in and it was 40 and windy. We were going to hike to Mollie's Ridge shelter for the night, but the shaded side of the ridge was covered in snow up to my knees - too deep for my kids who were 5 and 6 at the time. We couldn't even drive up to Clingman's because the road was closed. We hiked the Chimney Rocks trail instead - it was a sheet of ice most of the way - but fun coming back down.

It's snowed all the way up till mid-May in the Roan Highlands and Mt. Rogers area.

So take plenty of warm clothes, and don't get rid of them until late May.

[Bare Bear]

Prepare for the worse always. A good cheap insurance is to take a big thicker garbage bag and it will give you about 15F plus used around you (over your sleepingbag) but beware sweating and mositure or it becomes counter-productive. I used a bag cut to make it a big ground (and dirty shelter floors) cloth. Cheaper and better than Tyvek, or commercial footprint and you can throw it away when it gets dirty and get a new one for about 50 cents.

[ofthearth]

Prepare for the worse always. A good cheap insurance is to take a big thicker garbage bag and it will give you about 15F plus used around you (over your sleepingbag) but beware sweating and mositure or it becomes counter-productive. I used a bag cut to make it a big ground (and dirty shelter floors) cloth. Cheaper and better than Tyvek, or commercial footprint and you can throw it away when it gets dirty and get a new one for about 50 cents.

Good tip thanks