Coldest probable temperature

[radcat21]

Hey everyone,

I'm pretty new to this site and trying to gear up for a AT thru-hike in the next few years. One question I had was what is the coldest temperature that I should be prepared for, both sleeping and hiking, if I was to start out sometime in early to mid March?

Thanks for your help!

[mweinstone]

freezing and not much below.

[Praha4]

not much below freezing? what?

lows in the smokies in early March above 5000 ft have been well below freezing, be prepared for single digit lows with wind chill below zero in early March. lower elevations will still be freezing

[garlic08]

I started my hike in April and faced nighttime temps in the teens several times, along with blowing snow. I would also expect possible low teens, maybe single digits in March, but not guaranteed. You'll also have a lot of nice warm sunny days, and you might luck out and have no winter weather at all.

[Jim Adams]

If you are starting in early March take a 0* bag and a down jacket. If you have a day too cold to comfortably hike then just stay in camp in your bag. I had snow on both of my thrus in April and teen digits in March and april.

geek

[JAK]

Very good question for any hike. Absolutely fundamental.
Deserves much better attention.

[radcat21]

Thanks for the input everyone :-)

[10-K]

If you are starting in early March take a 0* bag and a down jacket. If you have a day too cold to comfortably hike then just stay in camp in your bag. I had snow on both of my thrus in April and teen digits in March and april.

geek

I think I would go stark, raving mad if I had to stay in my sleeping bag all day.

[Jonnycat]

I think I would go stark, raving mad if I had to stay in my sleeping bag all day.

[The Solemates]

I've hiked in the smokies all my life. I've spent nights below 0F in April in the Smokies. I've also spent nights below freezing (32F) in July and August both. I've been on a dayhike up to LeConte at least twice and encountered crazy weather. Once we got 4 inches of snow in mid-September. Another time in June we started out at Newfound with 70 degree sunny weather and ended up getting hailed on with the temperature dropping to around freezing in a matter of hours before we even got to the Boulevard.

[Blissful]

Depends on when you leave. We left March 5. The coldest night in the mtns (though we were in Franklin at the time, thank goodness) was eight degrees.

[gunner76]

Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best and you can't go wrong.

[BooBoo]

I saw the thermometer read 7 degrees on top of Trey Mtn in GA and that was well after sunrise.

[Panzer1]

This link will show you the average highs and lows by month by location.

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site...hian_Trail.htm

Panzer

[RGB]

Cold front is blowing through outside my window in the Blue Ridge area right now. I have a bad feeling that winter weather is far from over here.

[FritztheCat]

This link will show you the average highs and lows by month by location.

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site...hian_Trail.htm

Panzer

Cool chart. Mount Washington is down right cold year round! Interesting to see what a difference one month makes (i.e., March to April).

[Grinder]

The first few years I hiked, beginning in Late March or early April. Each year had a day or two below freezing overnight.

To avoid this cold weather, I pushed my start back to May last year. Sure enough, Had two days of teens for overnight low and a foot of snow!!

What he said: Prepare for the worst!!

[goedde2]

If you are planning to carry a smartphone, regardles of what the "purists" say, you can download the weather from each and every shelter location on the AT. That will give you a good idea of what to expect.

[WILLIAM HAYES]

check my gallery if you want to see what it can look like in march in the smokies

[The Solemates]

check my gallery if you want to see what it can look like in march in the smokies

yep. thats the year we hiked the trail. we entered the smokies on valentines day. there were 3 foot drifts on the ground.