Last Updated on February 8, 2024 1:08 pm
LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain is a rugged place known for its wild and fast-changing weather. While no records were set or broken in 2023, the year saw many noteworthy monthly totals, according to data collected at the nature park’s official weather reporting stations near the Mile High Swinging Bridge and Wilson Center for Nature Discovery.
Some notable observations, and how they compare to Grandfather’s 69 years of recorded data, are included below.
- The average high temperature for February 2023 was 45.65 degrees Fahrenheit (the fifth-highest on record), with an average low of 31.20 degrees (the second-warmest on record) and a mean of 38.43 degrees (the third-highest on record).
- The average high temperature for May 2023 was 55.26 degrees Fahrenheit, the third-lowest on record.
- The average high temperature for June 2023 was 61.16 degrees Fahrenheit, the third-lowest on record. The coolest average high temperature on record for June at Grandfather is 60.27 degrees in 1997. Meanwhile, the average low of 50.94 degrees was the eighth-lowest on record, while the mean of 56.05 degrees was the fifth-lowest on record for this month.
- There were 22 days of at least trace amounts of recorded liquid precipitation (rain and the liquid equivalent of frozen precipitation, when applicable) for June 2023, one day short of the record 23 days in 1994, 1995 and 1997.
- There were 21 days of at least trace amounts of recorded liquid precipitation (rain and the liquid equivalent of frozen precipitation, when applicable) for September 2023, two days short of the record 23 days in 2020.
- The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 1.46 inches of precipitation in October 2023, the sixth-lowest total on record for this month.
- The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 1.38 inches of precipitation in November 2023, the third-lowest total on record for this month.
- The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 9.44 inches of precipitation in December 2023, the fourth-highest total on record for this month. There were also 20 days of at least trace amounts of recorded liquid precipitation (rain and the liquid equivalent of frozen precipitation, when applicable) for the same month, two days short of the record December high of 22 days in 1972 and 1981.
Precipitation
The station at the Swinging Bridge observed 60.87 inches of rain for the year over 222 days, shy of the mountain’s standing records of a cumulative 110.67 inches in 2018 and 242 days of precipitation in 2020.
The rainiest month in 2023 was August, when 9.87 inches were recorded over 18 days. The driest month of 2023 was November, with only 1.38 inches – the third-lowest total on record for this month – observed over 10 days of precipitation (including trace amounts).
June 2023 saw at least trace amounts of rain on 22 days, one day short of the record 23 days for that same month in 1994, 1995 and 1997. July also had 22 days with rainfall. Likewise, September’s 21 days of precipitation was two days short of the record 23 days in 2020.
Grandfather Mountain reported 15.6 inches of snow in 2023, as observed at the park’s Wilson Center. Snow accumulation is measured at this lower location, as high winds can make it difficult to record accurate observations at the top.
The mountain’s snowiest year on record remains 1996, when the park observed 116.7 inches of accumulation.
Wind
Grandfather Mountain recorded no sustained wind speeds or gusts higher than 100 mph in 2023, although it came closest in January, when a gust of 89.4 mph was recorded at the Swinging Bridge.
Meanwhile, winds gusted higher than 60 mph on 63 days in 2023.
The record wind speed at that location, since a National Weather Service-approved anemometer was installed in February 2007, remains a gust of 124 mph, recorded Feb. 25, 2019.
Temperatures
Known for its temperature swings, Grandfather Mountain experienced temperatures ranging from 6.6 to 76.8 degrees Fahrenheit in 2023. The mountain’s warmest day in 2023 was recorded on July 29, when the temperature hit 76.8 degrees. The park’s coldest day was Dec. 19, when the temperature dipped to a low of 6.6 degrees. A wind chill of minus 20.65, the lowest of the year, was noted that same day.
February 2023 experienced some warmer-than-normal temperatures. The average high temperature for this month was 45.65 degrees Fahrenheit (the fifth-highest on record for February), with an average low of 31.20 degrees (the second-warmest on record for February) and a mean of 38.43 degrees (the third-highest on record for February).
May and June saw slightly chillier-than-usual temperatures. The average high temperature for May 2023 was 55.26 degrees Fahrenheit, the third-lowest on record. The average high temperature for June 2023 was 61.16 degrees Fahrenheit, also the third-lowest on record.
The average high temperature for the year was 53.04 degrees, while the average low was 41.16 degrees.
Grandfather’s warmest days on record saw the thermometer reach 83 degrees in August 1983, July 2005 and July 2010, while the mountain’s record low remains minus 32 degrees from January 1985.
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.
Grandfather Mountain is a rugged place known for its wild and fast-changing weather. While no records were set or broken in 2023, the year saw many noteworthy monthly totals, according to data collected at the nature park’s official weather reporting stations near the Mile High Swinging Bridge and Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. (Photo Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation / Leslie Restivo)
