Nov. 11, 2013. Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation employees welcomed the largest crowd of the year during October. Leaf lookers were treated to great weather and barely any rainfall.
The rainfall total of 2.33 inches of rain was 2.52 inches, or 52 percent below the 58-year average rainfall total for October of 4.85 inches.
Entrance gate employees recorded 1.95 inches of rain and melted snow for the month and the naturalist staff recorded 2.07 inches at the weather equipment near the Fudge Shop. One inch of snow was also recorded at the fudge shop Oct. 25.
Rainfall for the year continues to be up. Rain for the year-to-date is 77.08 inches, which is 22.21 inches (or 40 percent) above the norm for this time of the year.
The automatic weather station at the top of Grandfather Mountain recorded the average high temperature for the month at 54.3 degrees and the average low temperature as 44.3 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 52.5 degrees ad the average low temperature was 37.9 degrees.
Wind gusts over 60 miles per hour were recorded three times. The highest three-second gust during the month was 76.5 miles per hour recorded Oct. 26.
For more information on Grandfather Mountain’s weather data or to access current conditions please visit www.grandfather.com.