Last Updated on May 3, 2012 6:34 pm
The automatic weather station at the top of Grandfather Mountain recorded seasonably warm temperatures and wet weather during April. The average high temperature for the month was 54.9 degrees and the average low temperature was 39 degrees. These numbers read just a bit higher than the State Climate Office data from Mt. Mitchell State Park. The average high temperature at Mt. Mitchell was 52.6 degrees and the average low temperature was 37 degrees.
The rainfall total of six inches for the past month was 0.87 inches, or 17 percent, above the 56-year average rainfall total for April 5.13 inches. Rain for the year-to-date 17.82 inches, which is 2.3 inches (or 11 percent) below the norm for this time of year. Rain fell 13 days during the month.
A late April snowfall and high winds kept Top Shop employees from recording weather April 23 and therefore no snow was recorded at that location during the month. Using this measurement, Grandfather Mountain had 10.3 inches of snow for the winter-to-date compared to the norm of 50.92 inches for the season.
Grandfather Mountain measures precipitation at multiple locations on the Mountain. An automatic weighing precipitation gauge on the corner of the Top Shop parking lot recorded 5.87 inches of liquid precipitation (rain and the melted equivalent of snow) this month. Entrance Gate employees recorded zero inches of snow for the month and the naturalist staff recorded 1.1 inches at the weather equipment near the Fudge Shop.
Wind gusts over 60 mph were recorded eight times. The highest three-second gust during the month was 80.5 mph recorded April 25.
For more information on Grandfather Mountain's weather data or to access current conditions please visit www.grandfather.com.
