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August Weather Brings Normalcy to Grandfather Mountain; Rain Total Up After a Record-Breaking July

Sept. 2, 2013. After a record-breaking July, August rainfall was more on par with what is expected this time of year, although the year-to-date rain totals are still well above average according to the weather station at the top of Grandfather Mountain.

Rain for the year-to-date is 70.49, which is 26.7 inches (or 61 percent) above the normal rainfall for this time of the year. The rainfall total for the month of August was 5.95 inches was 0.17 inches, or three percent, over the 58-year average rainfall total for August which is 5,78 inches. Rain fell 17 days during the month.

searchGrandfather Mountain measures precipitation at multiple locations on the mountain. Entrance Gate employees recorded 5.8 inches of rain for the month and the naturalist staff recorded 8.3 inches at the weather equipment near the fudge shop.

The automatic weather station at the top of Grandfather Mountain recorded the average high temperature for the month as 65.6 degrees and the average low temperature at 54.9 degrees. These numbers read a few degrees higher than the State Climate Office data from Mt. Mitchell State Park. The average high temperature at Mt. Mitchell was 63.3 degrees and the average low temperature was 52.7 degrees. 

The highest three-second gust during the month was 70.22 mph recorded Aug. 29. An old mountain tradition states that the number of foggy mornings in August tells how many snowstorms to expect in the coming winter. Sixteen foggy mornings were recorded at Grandfather Mountain so according to folklore, a total of 16 snowstorms can be expected.

For more information on Grandfather Mountain’s weather data or to access current conditions please visit www.grandfather.com.