"If you don't like the weather, just wait a day or so, and it'll change!"
The weather in the Smokies can change drastically from one day to the next. Hence, the old saying, "If you don't like the weather, just wait a day or so, and it'll change!". The Great Smoky Mountains, the largest and tallest mountains in the eastern United States, produce a climate that is normally colder and wetter than the surrounding areas.
Spring
If you visit Gatlinburg in the spring, bring both short sleeve shirts and a jacket, because the days and nights can be very warm or cool. March has the biggest variations in weather. It could rain or snow any day, especially at higher elevations. By the middle of April average temperatures range from the 70's during the day to the low 40's at night. By May highs sometimes reach the 80's or may drop as low as the high 30's.
Summer
By mid-June expect hot days and high humidity. Average temperatures reach the upper 80's during the day and drop into the 50's at night. A great way to cool off during the summer is to spend the afternoon tubing down a lazy mountain stream. Or if you're the adventurous type, take an exciting white-water rafting trip with one of the local Great Smoky Mountain Rafting companies.
Autumn
For a couple of weeks after Labor Day it is usually still warm enough to wear shorts, but it starts getting cooler by the middle of September. Be sure to bring a jacket for the cool mountain nights. By October the temperatures start dropping and the leaves start turning…bringing tens of thousands of visitors to the Smokies to see the mountains in all their vivid fall colors. By mid November you may see some a light snowfall in the higher elevations around Gatlinburg. Be sure to bring along your jacket and a heavy coat, but bring along some lighter clothes as well. Temperatures occasionally reach the high 70's.
Winter
If you've never been here during the winter, you may think that everything will be covered with deep snow and you'll want to hide away in your Gatlinburg cabin. That may be true for the extremely high elevations, but not in lower areas such as the valley where Gatlinburg lies. This time of the year the days can be sunny and in the 70's or they may be snowy with highs in the 20s.
Visit our Cabins page for spacious accommodations for your Great Smoky Mountains vacation!