September 2022 saw average weather on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for September 2022 was 61.1 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 49.2 degrees and a mean of 54.5 degrees. The warmest temperature recorded last month was 73.6 degrees on Sept. 21, more than 5 degrees shy of the mountain’s record September high of 79 degrees, observed Sept. 24, 2010. Generally, September sees fall weather conditions take hold on Grandfather Mountain, with cooler temperatures arriving. Sept. 28 saw the coldest temperature recorded last month with 35.4 degrees. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of September (not counting wind chill) was 24 degrees on Sept. 30, 1967. The weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge noted two days in September with a wind gust higher than 60 mph. On Sept. 22, the weather station recorded a wind gust of 68 mph. On Sept. 25, a gust of 65.7 mph was logged. The highest gust ever recorded on Grandfather Mountain was 124 mph, observed Feb. 25, 2019. The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 5.40 inches of precipitation in September 2022. Observations recorded near the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery saw 6.43 inches. 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 September was recorded in 2004, when 32.30 inches were observed near the bridge. That year saw widespread flooding and damage across the region from Hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. The driest September...
Results are in from Grandfather Mountain’s annual Hawk Watch for 2022. Staff and volunteers at Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, came together during the month of September for a vast citizen-science project to count and identify the numerous species of raptors during their annual journey to warmer climates. Raptors are birds of prey, such as hawks, eagles, owls and vultures. The telltale signs of the raptor are sharp talons, a hooked upper bill and keen eyesight. While some raptors remain in place during winter, most will travel south, where food is more abundant. Visitors had a front-row seat to one of nature’s most stunning spectacles and were invited to join the mountain’s naturalists as they tallied the number of migrating passersby in the sky from viewing locations on Linville Peak and Half Moon Overlook. Grandfather Mountain is one of more than 300 Hawk Watch sites officially designated by the Hawk Migration Association of North America. This year, a total of 3,064 migrating raptors were recorded overhead, with broad-winged hawks being the most-counted species. The average monthly total for Hawk Watch over the last 12 years is 4,108. More than 900 hours were invested in Hawk Watch in September of 2022, between both volunteer and staff time. The busiest day of the count came on Sept. 21, during which 1,387 birds were recorded, with favorable weather conditions of clear skies and sunshine. The second-busiest day came on Sept. 23, when 929 raptors were counted. “Weather is always a key factor when it comes to Hawk Watch and is ultimately what determines if we...
August 2022 saw at least trace amounts of rain on 27 days – two days shy of the record 29 days of precipitation for this same month in 2020 – on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for August 2022 was 66.8°, with an average low of 56.8° and a mean of 60.5°. The warmest temperature recorded last month was 73.2° on Aug. 3, just under 10 degrees shy of the mountain’s record August high of 83°, observed Aug. 22, 1983. Generally, August sees summertime weather conditions continue on Grandfather Mountain, with slightly cooler fall-like temperatures starting to arrive. Aug. 13 saw the coldest temperature recorded last month with 51.6°. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of August (not counting wind chill) was 36° on Aug. 29, 1986. The weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge noted one day in August with a wind gust higher than 60 mph: On Aug. 2, the weather station recorded a wind gust of 63.9 mph. The highest gust ever recorded on Grandfather Mountain was 124 mph, observed Feb. 25, 2019. The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 5.71 inches of precipitation in August 2022. Observations recorded near the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery saw 6.84 inches. 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,...
July 2022 saw fairly average weather on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for July 2022 was 70.4°, with an average low of 59.3° and a mean of 63.6°. The warmest temperature recorded last month was 77.4° on July 6, which is 5.6 degrees shy of the mountain’s record July high of 83°, observed July 26, 2005, and July 9, 2010. Generally, July sees summertime weather conditions on Grandfather Mountain, with slightly warmer temperatures having arrived. July 10 saw the coldest temperature recorded last month with 54.1°. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of July (not counting wind chill) was 41° on July 27, 1962. The weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge noted one day in July with a wind gust higher than 60 mph: On July 21, the weather station recorded a wind gust of 61.7 mph. The highest gust ever recorded on Grandfather Mountain was 124 mph, observed Feb. 25, 2019. The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 4.47 inches of precipitation in July 2022. Observations recorded near the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery saw 4.82 inches. 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 July was recorded in 2013, when 23.91 inches were observed near the bridge. The driest July on record was observed in 1977, when 1.74 inches were recorded. The park counted 21 total days of precipitation for July 2022. The rainiest day last month was July...
June 2022 saw average weather – and a fairly low amount of rain – on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations.The average high temperature for June 2022 was 66.7°, with an average low of 55.1° and a mean of 60.2°.The warmest temperature recorded last month was 77.7° on June 13, just under 5 degrees shy of the mountain’s record June high of 82°, observed June 1, 2011, and June 9, 2008. Generally, June sees spring-like weather conditions continue on Grandfather Mountain, with slightly warmer, summertime temperatures starting to arrive.June 19 saw the coldest temperature recorded last month with 45.5°. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of June (not counting wind chill) was 31° on June 1, 1966, and June 3, 1956.On June 17, the weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge recorded a wind gust of 79.1 mph, along with a sustained wind speed of 69.5 mph. The station noted two days in June with wind gusts higher than 60 mph. The highest gust ever recorded on Grandfather Mountain was 124 mph, observed Feb. 25, 2019.The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 1.41 inches of precipitation in June 2022, marking the fourth driest June on record in terms of total rainfall. Observations recorded near the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery saw 1.58 inches. 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 June was recorded in 2019, when 15.94 inches were observed near the bridge. The driest June on...
Pictured: Tai’lah Ware, Dashia Canada and Kimora Chaulk compete in the women’s 100-yard dash during the 2022 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.Moses White of Deep Gap, N.C., didn’t need shoes to finish first place in the 880-yard dash during the 66th annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games held at MacRae Meadows this past weekend.The local runner was attending the games with his brother and decided to sign up for the weekend’s track and field competition on Saturday, July 9 at the spur of the moment. When he realized he did not have a pair of suitable running shoes with him, he opted to run the race barefoot, a decision which proved to be the right one.“I didn’t expect to come out here and run today,” White said. “I was wearing Chacos (sandals), so I figured bare feet would be a little bit better.”For White, who was attending the games for the first time since he was 5 years old, the open competition at the Highland Games provided the perfect opportunity to get in on the weekend’s action and take part in some friendly competition with his brother.For Appalachian State University track and field athlete Patrick Freeman, the event offered him the opportunity to hone his craft during the offseason while taking part in a track and field competition that is unlike many others.“The Highland Games is a lot of fun,” Freeman said. “It’s probably the most fun tracking I ever do.”Freeman claimed first place in several events, including the men’s long jump, 220-yard dash, 440-yard dash and 100-yard dash. His athleticism also earned him the distinction of the event’s Most Outstanding...
Pictured: The top three women competitors in heavy athletics pose at the 2022 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games: overall winner Meagan McKee (center), the runner-up Adriane Wilson (right) and the third-place finisher Elissa Van Vleck (left). (Photo: Skip Sickler)Meagan McKee finished first in four of the seven women’s heavy athletic events during the 2022 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, thereby claiming the top spot overall for the competition. McKee previously placed second at these games in 2019.The history teacher from Vermont has been doing heavy athletics for eight years and is the 2019 and 2021 Highland Games World Champion. This year saw 14 women competing – a record for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games – in front of an exceptionally large crowd of spectators this past Saturday.For McKee, the sport is all about family and fun. She has followed in the footsteps of her father, who was also a professional. “It’s fun – I like to keep it fun,” she said on what motivates her to take part, in addition to it being in her blood. To prepare and train, McKee “lifts and throws three to four times a week.”McKee won the clachneart, the 14-pound-weight throw for distance, the hammer throw and the caber toss events. Adriane Wilson was this year’s runner-up, winning the 28-pound-weight throw for distance and coming in second in three other individual events. Elissa Van Vleck secured the third-place finish overall.The women’s elite competition is by invitation only and featured 14 competitors vying to best each other in seven different categories: sheaf toss, 28-pound-weight toss for height, clachneart, 28-pound-weight throw for distance, 14-pound-weight throw for distance, hammer...
May 2022 saw average weather – and at least trace amounts of rain on most days – on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations.The average high temperature for May 2022 was 61.8°, with an average low of 48.9° and a mean of 54.5°.The warmest temperature recorded last month was 72.7° on May 20, just over 5 degrees shy of the mountain’s record May high of 78°, observed May 19, 1996.Generally, May sees spring-like weather conditions arrive on Grandfather Mountain, though some chilly temperatures can still persist. May 9 saw the coldest temperature recorded last month with 34.2°. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of May (not counting wind chill) was 15° on May 6, 1957.The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 10.01 inches of precipitation in May 2022, while observations recorded near the park’s Nature Museum saw 11.10 inches. 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 May was recorded in 2018, when 19.70 inches were observed near the bridge. The driest May on record was observed in 2007, when 1.43 inches were recorded.The park counted 24 total days of precipitation for May 2022, one day short of the record 25 days in 2009. The rainiest day last month was May 24, when 2.99 inches were recorded at the top. The rainiest day on record for May was May 28, 1973, when the weather station observed 4.67 inches.Weather ReportingThe Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation records and reports data in two different...
April 2022 saw average weather on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations.The average high temperature for April 2022 was 52.3°, with an average low of 35.9°, for a mean of 43.6°.The warmest temperature recorded last month was 66.7° on April 25, just under 14 degrees shy of the mountain’s record April high of 80°, observed April 7, 2010.Generally, April continues to bring winter weather to Grandfather Mountain before more spring-like conditions arrive in May. April 19 saw the coldest temperature recorded last month, 17.8°, and a wind chill of -4.7°. April 9 and 10 were also cold days on the mountain with recorded wind chills of -3.1° and -3.8°, respectively. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of April (not counting wind chill) was 5° on April 7, 1982.On April 19, the weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge recorded a wind gust of 70.8 mph, along with a sustained wind speed of 81.5 mph. The station noted five days in April with wind gusts higher than 60 mph. The highest gust ever recorded on Grandfather Mountain was 124 mph, observed Feb. 25, 2019.The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 2.67 inches of precipitation in April 2022, while observations recorded near the park’s Nature Museum saw 2.75 inches. 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 April was recorded in 2018, when 12.72 inches were observed near the bridge. The driest April on record was observed in 1975, when 0.72...
Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is bidding a fond farewell to a member of the Mildred the Bear Animal Habitats: Doc the elk, who has been relocated to a new home.Over the past year, Grandfather Mountain has been looking to relocate Doc, who is named after legendary guitarist Doc Watson. The search began last year after park leadership concluded that it would ultimately be beneficial to the elk if one was located to a new home. The three elk in the habitat were causing extensive damage to their environment and creating some safety issues during rut season.Fortunately, the park found the right home for Doc at stock-car driver and active conservationist Ryan Newman’s personal farm.“While we were in the process of working with the state of North Carolina to identify a new home for Doc, we were very particular about the people we would work with,” Pope said. “We were very fortunate to partner with Ryan Newman, who has a wonderful facility and a passion for wildlife and conservation. After many discussions with Ryan, we both agreed that selling Doc to him was the right move for all involved.”Newman, who is an 18-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, picked up Doc at Grandfather Mountain in early April. Newman said that Grandfather Mountain’s mission of inspiring conservation of the natural world was in-line with his own views as an outdoorsman.“It’s a good opportunity for all,” Newman said. “The important thing is that we all get the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, and that’s what’s so cool about Grandfather Mountain. It’s a beautiful...
Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is welcoming a new member to its family of beloved animals in the Mildred the Bear Animal Habitats: Fanny May, a five-year-old black bear with a big personality.Fanny May arrived at Grandfather Mountain in the spring of 2021 after the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission approached the nonprofit nature preserve about a bear that needed placement. Fortunately, the park had room for an additional bear and agreed to take her in after deeming her to be a good fit for the facility.Since Fanny’s arrival, Christie Tipton, Habitats Curator with the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, and her staff have worked diligently over the past year to help the new bear become accustomed to her surroundings. They have even deployed some unique ways to make Fanny feel right at home.“Moving into a new environment like she did, she was a little stressed. So we took our time working with her and spent a lot of time with her, talking to her and getting her used to her new keepers and new home. In order to do that, we actually asked some of our volunteers to come down and read to her,” Tipton said.Fanny’s first months on the mountain were accompanied with stories read to her by volunteers Ken and Barb Tatje. The volunteers shared some of their favorite books with Fanny, including the Bible and children’s classics such as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”The couple, who have been volunteering for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation for the past eight years, are part of a long tradition of volunteers...
March 2022 saw average winter weather on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations.The two coldest days recorded last month, March 12 and 13, saw a low temperature of 1.2° Fahrenheit, with a wind chill of -31.4 and a low temperature of 0.9° Fahrenheit, with a wind chill of -31.3, respectively. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of March (not counting wind chill) was -9° on March 9, 1996.The warmest temperature recorded last month was 61.2° on March 6, just under 11 degrees shy of the mountain’s record March high of 72°, observed March 30, 1985.The average high temperature for March 2022 was 48.01°, with an average low of 31.05°, for a mean of 39.53°.On March 12, the weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge recorded a wind gust of 90 mph, along with a sustained wind speed of 74 mph. The station noted 10 days in March with wind gusts higher than 60 mph. The highest gust ever recorded on Grandfather Mountain was 124 mph, observed Feb. 25, 2019.The station reported 4.80 inches of precipitation in March 2022, while observations recorded near the park’s Nature Museum saw 5.25 inches. 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 March was recorded in 1963, when 11.70 inches were observed near the bridge. The driest March on record was observed in 2016, when 1.01 inches were recorded.The park counted 15 total days of precipitation for March 2022, nine days short of the record...
