October 2025 saw fairly standard conditions for the month on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations.
The average high temperature for October 2025 was 51.66 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 39.72 degrees and a mean of 45.69 degrees. The 69-year average high temperature for October at the mountain is 54.81 degrees, the 69-year average low temperature for October is 41.10 degrees and the historic average mean is 47.88 degrees.
The warmest temperature recorded was 65.1 degrees on Oct. 18, just under 10 degrees shy of the mountain’s record October high of 75 degrees, observed Oct. 3, 1986.
Generally, October sees fall weather conditions continue on Grandfather Mountain, with cooler temperatures starting to take hold. Oct. 31 saw the coldest temperature recorded with 28.4 degrees. The lowest temperature ever observed on Grandfather Mountain in the month of October (not counting wind chill) was 15 degrees on Oct. 28, 1957; Oct. 27, 1962; and Oct. 21, 1974.
The weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge noted five days in October with a wind gust higher than 60 mph. On Oct. 30, the weather station at the top recorded a wind gust of 86.4 mph, with a sustained wind speed clocking in at 51.8 mph that same day. The highest gust ever recorded on Grandfather Mountain was 124 mph, observed Feb. 25, 2019.
The weather station near the Swinging Bridge reported 3.40 inches of precipitation in October 2025. 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 totaled 4.62 inches of precipitation for the month. 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 October was recorded in 1970, when 15.86 inches were observed near the bridge. The driest October on record was observed in 1963, when 0.31 inches were measured at the top. October 2025 comes in as the mountain’s 28th driest October in the 69 years of weather recording.
There were 18 days of at least trace amounts of recorded liquid precipitation (rain and the liquid equivalent of frozen precipitation, when applicable) for October 2025. The record number of days for the month of October is 20 days, observed in 1976.
The day last month with the highest amount of this precipitation observed was Oct. 28, when 1.11 inches were recorded at the top. The day with the highest amount of precipitation observed on record for October was Oct. 5, 1995, when the weather station noted 5.12 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).
- In the 69 years of weather collection at Grandfather Mountain, instrument locations for the Top Shop and Swinging Bridge area have moved around slightly as technology and understanding of what makes the best location for reporting have improved.
For more information on weather at Grandfather Mountain, visit www.grandfather.com/weather.