Last Updated on September 19, 2023 3:19 pm
LINVILLE, N.C. – August 2023 saw fairly average weather on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations.
The average high temperature for August 2023 was 66.55 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 57.51 degrees and a mean of 62.03 degrees.
The warmest temperature recorded last month was 73.8 degrees on Aug. 25, just over nine degrees shy of the mountain’s record August high of 83 degrees, observed Aug. 22, 1983. Generally, August sees summertime weather conditions continue on Grandfather Mountain, with slightly cooler fall-like temperatures starting to arrive.
Aug. 16 saw the coldest temperature recorded last month with 51.4 degrees. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of August (not counting wind chill) was 36 degrees on Aug. 29, 1986.
The weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge noted two days in August with a wind gust higher than 60 mph. On Aug. 15, the weather station at the top recorded a wind gust of 67.7 mph, while the month’s highest recorded sustained wind speed clocked in at 42.4 mph on Aug. 18. The highest gust ever recorded on Grandfather Mountain was 124 mph, observed Feb. 25, 2019.
The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 9.87 inches of precipitation in August 2023. Precipitation at the top of the mountain includes rain and the liquid equivalent of any frozen precipitation (when applicable).
Observations recorded near the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery saw 8.91 inches of precipitation. Precipitation is also measured at the latter location, as high winds can make it difficult to record accurate observations at the top.
The mountain’s rainiest August was recorded in 2008, when 12.47 inches were observed near the bridge. The driest August on record was observed in 1956, when 0.81 inches were recorded.
There were 18 days of recorded liquid precipitation (rain and the liquid equivalent of frozen precipitation, when applicable) for August 2023, 11 days short of the record 29 days in 2020. The days last month with the highest amount of this precipitation observed were Aug. 4 and 7, when 1.58 inches were recorded at the top. The day with the highest amount of precipitation observed on record for August was Aug. 27, 2008, when the weather station observed 8.50 inches.
Weather Reporting
The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation records and reports data in two different ways:
- The park maintains an automated weather station at the top of the Mile High Swinging Bridge. The N.C. State Climate Office assists the foundation in calibrating the machines and ensuring overall accuracy of data.
- Grandfather Mountain has been an active member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Cooperative Observer Program since 1955 by reporting weather data from locations near the Mile High Swinging Bridge and the Nature Museum (now the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery).
For more information on weather at Grandfather Mountain, visit www.grandfather.com/weather.
The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.
August 2023 at Grandfather Mountain_Photo by Monty Combs_Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation: August 2023 saw fairly average weather on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for August 2023 was 66.55 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 57.51 degrees and a mean of 62.03 degrees. Generally, August sees summertime weather conditions continue on Grandfather Mountain, with slightly cooler fall-like temperatures starting to arrive. (Photo Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation / Monty Combs)
