I've compiled weather information from many sources across the internet to give you the most complete look at the weather for the Great Smoky Mountain
National Park. You'll find everything from climatology, current weather, forecast, radar, local Twitter feeds, as well as other links of interest, I have lots to look at so please take a minute to explore the page. I hope you'll save the link as a favorite or bookmark and use it the next time you visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and surrounding area.
Thanks for visiting!
Great Smoky Mountains Climatology
Elevations in the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park range from approximately 875 feet to 6,643 feet and the topography can drastically affect local weather. Temperatures can vary 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from mountain base to top, and clear skies lower down do not guarantee equally pleasant weather at higher elevations. The park's abundant rainfall and high summertime humidity provide excellent growing conditions. In the Smokies, the average annual rainfall varies from approximately 55 inches in the valleys to over 85 inches on some peaks-more than anywhere else in the country except the Pacific Northwest, qualifying these upper elevation areas as temperate rain forests. During wet years, over eight feet of rain falls in the high country. The relative humidity in the park during the growing season is about twice that of the Rocky Mountain region. Some prior planning and weather-wise clothing will help ensure an enjoyable visit during any season.
Spring
March through May: Spring brings with it unpredictable weather. Changes can occur rapidly - sunny skies can yield to snow flurries in just a few hours. March is the month with the most radical changes; snow can fall at any time during the month, particularly in the higher elevations. Temperatures in the lower elevations have a mean high of 61ºF while low temperatures, which are often below freezing, have a mean of 42ºF. By mid-April the weather is usually milder and daytime temperatures often reach the 70's and occasionally the 80's. Below freezing temperatures at night are uncommon in the lower elevations but still occur higher up. April averages over four inches of rain, usually in the form of afternoon showers. May is warmer, with daytime highs in the 70's and 80's and lows in the 40's and 50's. May rainfall averages about 4.5 inches.
Summer
June through August: Summer in the Smokies means heat, haze, and humidity. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are common and the peak rainfall month for both the lower and upper levels is in July. Temperatures increase through the period with July and August afternoon highs in the 80's and 90s in the lower elevations. Evening lows are usually comfortable with readings in the 60's and 70's. In the higher elevations, the weather is much more pleasant. On Mount Le Conte (6,593' elevation), temperatures above 80 degrees are extremely rare. Spring, summer, and fall are the best times to take a hike in the Smokies. Be sure to visit http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/ for lots of great information about hiking in the Smokies.
Autumn
September through mid-November: Clear skies and cooler weather signal the onset of the fall color season. Warm days alternate with cool nights. Daytime highs are usually in the 70's and 80's during September, falling to the 50's and 60's in early November. The first frosts often occur in late September, and by November, the lows are usually near freezing. This is the driest period of the year with only occasional rain showers, but in the higher elevations, snow is a possibility. The fall is one of the busiest times in the park, with some of the most beautiful fall colors to be found anywhere in the world.
Winter
Mid-November through February: Winter in the Smokies is generally moderate, but extremes in weather do occur, especially with an increase in elevation. It is not unusual to have warm temperatures in the low elevations and snow in the higher areas. About half the days in the winter have high temperatures of 50 degrees or more and highs occasionally even reach the 70's. Most nights have lows at or below freezing, but lows of -20°F. are possible at high elevations. In the low elevations, snows of 1” or more occur 1-5 times a year and sometimes this snow melts within a few hours of falling. Snow falls more frequently in the higher mountains and up to two feet can fall during a storm. January and February are the months when one is most likely to find snow in the park.
At higher elevations, the climate is significantly cooler than in the surrounding lowlands and the mountain peaks receive much more snow. At nearly a mile high, Newfound Gap (elevation 5,046') receives an average of 69” of snow during the winter season. When winter precipitation is falling however, travel conditions can quickly become very hazardous in the park. Newfound Gap Road (US-441) and other park roads are often temporarily closed during winter storms due to snow and ice on the roadways.
ALWAYS Check Before Traveling
Before visiting the park, please call 865-436-1200 for road closure information. Dial extension 631 for updates on temporary road closures and extension 630 for a weather forecast. There are updates on Twitter with general park information at https://twitter.com/gsmnp and you can also follow road status updates on Twitter as well at https://twitter.com/smokiesroadsnps. Updates are available for Newfound Gap Road (US-441), Little River Road, Laurel Creek Road, and Cades Cove Loop Road.
(Product availability varies with seasons, forecast office, and weather.)
Forecast Discussion for Knoxville/Tri Cities, TN
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566
FXUS64 KMRX 132310 AAA
AFDMRX
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Morristown TN
710 PM EDT Sun Sep 13 2026
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 709 PM EDT Sun Sep 13 2026
- Dry for most of the area through the week with above normal
temperatures continuing.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 116 PM EDT Sun Sep 13 2026
Quieter weather expected this afternoon and evening with clouds
still slowly clearing out. This cloud deck has helped keep
temperatures in check today with many locations still sitting in the
low 80`s as of this writing. Those locations in the southern Valley
that have cleared out are really ramping up in temperature
however... Clouds will eventually clear out, and unfortunately
everyone will get another warm day today like most days the past
month.
A shortwave will move through to our north tomorrow, followed by a
surface cold front. CAMs generally have no PoPs associated with this
dry front with the better forcing remaining off to our north. Can`t
completely rule out a few isolated showers, but it looks
increasingly unlikely. Front eventually moves through, but it`s more
of a front in name, rather than impact as we should get yet another
very warm day across the eastern Tennessee Valley.
The dog days of summer are back in full effect Tuesday through the
end of the week with highs in the 90`s for most of the Valley
locations... and Heat Index values eclipsing the triple digit mark
for most people along I-40 and south. We could see multiple days of
Heat Advisories needed on Tuesday and beyond. Dew point values are
forecasted to drop a couple of degrees by the second half of the
week, so we might "technically" not hit Heat Advisory criteria...
but we`ll almost certainly be within a few degrees of it. Any way
you slice it this upcoming week is shaping up to be hot and mostly
dry again.
&&
.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 709 PM EDT Sun Sep 13 2026
A cold front pushing south across KY will be near TRI later
tonight, and may bring some low VFR to MVFR ceilings. Cloud base
is uncertain at this time so will have predominant VFR with a
TEMPO for MVFR. Otherwise, no aviation impacts are expected
through tomorrow afternoon.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Chattanooga Airport, TN 70 96 71 96 / 0 0 0 0
Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport, TN 68 91 68 94 / 0 0 0 0
Oak Ridge, TN 68 90 67 93 / 0 0 0 0
Tri Cities Airport, TN 65 85 63 88 / 0 10 0 0
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...NONE.
TN...NONE.
VA...NONE.
&&
$$
DISCUSSION...99
AVIATION...DGS
The following tables give monthly averages for weather in the park. Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit, precipitation and snow are listed in inches, T=trace.
For Gatlinburg, TN (Low elevation - 1,289 feet)
Monthly Data Table for Gatlinburg TN
Monthly Data from NOAA Monthly Normals 2006-2020
Month
High
Low
Monthly Precipitation
Jan
46.7
26.5
4.6"
Feb
50.8
28.8
4.2"
Mar
59.7
35.8
5.2"
Apr
69.3
42.8
5.0"
May
75.2
51.6
5.2"
Jun
81.3
59.0
5.5"
Jul
82.9
62.8
6.3"
Aug
82.0
62.1
4.5"
Sep
77.3
57.2
4.4"
Oct
68.3
45.1
4.0"
Nov
58.3
33.3
3.9"
Dec
51.2
30.9
5.5"
For Clingman's Dome (Kuwohi) TN (High elevation - 6,643 feet)
Mt. LeConte is located in Sevier County, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and is an official NWS reporting station. At 6,593 ft (2,010 m) it is the third highest peak in the national park, behind Clingmans Dome/Kuwohi (6,643 ft, 2,024 m) and Mount Guyot (6,621 ft, 2,018 m). It is also the highest peak that is completely within Tennessee. However, from its immediate base to its summit, Mount Le Conte is one of the highest peaks in the Appalachian Mountains rising 5,301 ft (1,616 m) from its base, near Gatlinburg, Tennessee (1,292 ft/394 m).
Click to enlarge
There are four subpeaks above 6,000 ft on the mountain (referred to as the LeConte massif):
West Point (6,344 ft/1,934 m)
High Top (6,593 ft/2,010 m)
Cliff Tops (6,555 ft/1,998 m)
Myrtle Point (6,200 ft/1,890 m)
In addition, Balsam Point (5,840+ ft/1,780+ m) serves as the dramatic west end of the massif. Additionally, the LeConte is notable for having the highest inn providing lodging for visitors in the Eastern United States.
Mount Le Conte has a climate similar to that of Southern Canada, giving it cool summers, and cold, snowy winters. Annual snowfall averages 39.43 inches near the base to 71.82 inches on the highest peak. The climate is much cooler and somewhat wetter than the lower elevations. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -32º F, on January 13, 1986. The highest temperature ever recorded at the lodge was 81.5º F by NOAA COOP volunteers/lodge staff employees.
range from approximately 875 feet to 6,643 feet and the topography can drastically affect local weather. Temperatures can vary 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from mountain base to top, and clear skies lower down do not guarantee equally pleasant weather at higher elevations. The park's abundant rainfall and high summertime humidity provide excellent growing conditions. In the Smokies, the average annual rainfall varies from approximately 55 inches in the valleys to over 85 inches on some peaks-more than anywhere else in the country except the Pacific Northwest, qualifying these upper elevation areas as temperate rain forests. During wet years, over eight feet of rain falls in the high country. The relative humidity in the park during the growing season is about twice that of the Rocky Mountain region. Some prior planning and weather-wise clothing will help ensure an enjoyable visit during any season.
