Pawpaw Holler Home

Here we go again!

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Great Smoky Mountains until 10pm tonight. 1-3 inches of snow is possible plus there is another round of snow in the forecast for Sunday through Monday.

Weather Updates For The Smoky Mountains

Smoky Mountains Forecast –From the National Weather Service

Radar –For the East Tennessee area

Mt. LeConte Weather –3rd highest peak in the Park (26 inches of snow on the ground as of this morning)

Road Closings In The Smokies

Great Smoky Mountains Temporary Road and Facilities Closures –NPS

Great Smoky Mountains Road and Facility Improvements –NPS

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Road Conditions –Live updates at yoursmokies.com.

You can also get updated road and weather information for the Great Smoky Mountains by calling (865) 436-1200.

Blessings,

Denese

There is a wind advisory in effect for the Smoky Mountains until 4pm today and a high wind watch continuing through Wednesday afternoon with wind gusts as high as 60 mph possible.

The Smokies also have a winter weather advisory in effect until 4pm today and from 7pm tonight through 4pm Wednesday.

Smoky Mountains Weather Forecast

Radar

Mt. LeConte Weather –Daily updates (and beautiful photos) from Doug McFalls, winter caretaker at LeConte Lodge.

Most roads in the Smoky Mountains are already closed and, due to road improvement projects, some will not re-open until May.

Great Smoky Mountains Temporary Road and Facilities Closures –NPS

Great Smoky Mountains Road and Facility Improvements –NPS

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Road Conditions –Live updates at yoursmokies.com.

You can also get updated road and weather information for the Great Smoky Mountains by calling (865) 436-1200.

Blessings and safe traveling,

Denese

There is a wind advisory in effect for the Great Smoky Mountains this afternoon until 4pm plus a winter weather advisory has been issued for 9pm tonight through 4pm tomorrow. Total snow accumulation may be 2 to 5 inches…with heavier amounts possible in the highest elevations.

Smoky Mountains Forecast

Radar

We don’t have a wind advisory here (just outside the Park) but it has been extremely windy today (I’m surprised we still have power, as much as it’s flickered on and off today) –so if you’re even heading toward the mountains, please be careful.

Blessings and drive safely,

Denese

The Townsend Winter Heritage Festival takes place this week, Thursday through Sunday, February 4-7, 2010.

A celebration of the history, people, and traditions of Townsend TN, Cades Cove, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

All programs require pre-registration.  Most are free;  events with food will have a charge, so call the host businesses to make reservations.

Schedule is subject to change.

There will be presentations, exhibits, hikes, demonstrations and much more.

Download the full program booklet (PDF) here:

Winter Heritage Booklet 2010

Please call the Townsend Visitors Center at (865) 448-6134 or (800) 525-6834 for more information.

Blessings,

Denese

We’re still waiting on the big snow storm here next to the Smoky Mountains. The current forecast is calling for 4-9 inches total for Townsend and  6-14 inches in the Park –but you never know, it could be a lot less or a lot more.

Smoky Mountains Weather Forecast

Radar

Are you prepared if the power goes out?

Staying Warm

If you have a woodstove or fireplace, make sure you have enough wood to last a few days, and stack it somewhere out of the weather –it’s no fun digging out wood from under 3 feet of snow (did that during the blizzard of ‘93). Same thing if you use a kerosene heater -be sure you have a few days supply of fuel.

Here are some ideas to stay warm, if you don’t have an alternative heat source:

• close off all but one room of your house
• cover all your windows and doors with blankets
• share body heat –dress warmly and pile up together under blankets
• stay with a neighbor who does have heat

Eating

If you have a woodstove or fireplace, you should have no problem –just cook right on top of the woodstove or on the coals in the fireplace.  You can also heat food on top of a kerosene heater, depending on how hot it gets. Do you have a BBQ grill? You can cook on that, too (outside).

No way to cook? Just make sure you have plenty of food stocked up that you don’t have to cook.

Some examples:

• cold cereals
• canned tuna
• crackers
• peanut butter
• bread
• granola bars
• fresh and canned fruit
• Vienna sausages
• Beanie weenies
• lunchmeats –ham, bologna, turkey, etc.
• cheese
• salad vegetables –carrots, celery, cucumbers, etc.

(Be sure you have a manual can-opener)

And, if the power does go out, don’t worry about your refrigerated or frozen food –stick it outside in the snow!

Water

Be prepared by jugging up some water, anywhere from 1-4 gallons per person per day for drinking, cooking, washing, and using the bathroom (and don’t flush the toilet each time you go). If you have pets, you’ll need water for them, too.

You can also melt snow (it takes a lot) or get water from a creek for your bathroom needs (8 drops of bleach per gallon will purify water for drinking –or boil it, which is best).

Be sure you have a big pot to heat water in (if you have a non-electric heat source).

Light And Communication

Be sure to have on hand:

Candles or oil lamps (and lamp oil)

Battery operated radio

Extra batteries

If you have a cell phone, be sure it’s completely charged (and have a car charger in case the battery runs down)

Above all, stay safe and don’t go anywhere unless it’s an emergency (life or death situation) –and don’t bother the police with trivialities.

Blessings,

Denese

More snow is headed for the Smokies!

From the National Weather Service:

...HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE FROM THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...

AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER EAST TEXAS THURSDAY WILL MOVE EAST
ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH THROUGH SATURDAY. LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW WILL
BEGIN TO MOVE INTO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. THE RAIN IS EXPECTED TO
CHANGE TO SNOW ON THURSDAY NIGHT AS COLDER AIR FILTERS IN. LIGHT SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS ON THURSDAY NIGHT SHOULD BE ACROSS THE NORTHERN
CUMBERLAND PLATEAU AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST VIRGINA.

PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY.
THE PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY CHANGE PHASES AS WARM AIR MOVES UP THE
EAST TENNESSEE VALLEY ON FRIDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL LIKELY CHANGE TO RAIN
THEN BACK TO SNOW ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE AND
SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.

THE LOW TRACKS TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS REGION ON
SATURDAY. HEAVY SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA ON BOTH
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN CUMBERLAND
PLATEAU...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND THE NORTHEAST TENNESSEE MOUNTAINS.

THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE TRACK OF THE LOW
PRESSURE CENTER...THEREFORE IT IS DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE A TOTAL
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...IT APPEARS THAT A
SIGNIFICANT SNOW COULD OCCUR OVER A LARGE PART OF THE AREA.
THE LIKELIHOOD OF SNOW AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF FOUR INCHES IS
INCREASING FOR RESIDENTS OF NORTHEAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA.

For updates and road closing information:

Smoky Mountains Weather Forecast TN

Radar

Smoky Mountains Road Closures

Want to see what it’s like on one of the highest peaks in the Smokies?

Mt. LeConte Weather 

Blessings and safe traveling,

Denese

The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend, Tennessee is hosting a free event this Friday and Saturday January 29-30, 2010.

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center to host ‘Hurry-Back-Spring-Fling’

The Heritage Center is located at 123 Cromwell Dr. in Townsend (just off Hwy 73, between the traffic light and GSMNP entrance) and is open 10am-5pm.

Please call (865) 448-0044 for more information.

Blessings,

Denese

Are you or your ancestors from the Smoky Mountains area?

Check out this neat website that lists the genealogy of over 100,000 Smoky Mountain Tennessee families:

Smoky Mountain Ancestral Quest

(All you in-laws of mine need to visit this site, I got a little lost on it this morning and found out some interesting tidbits that I didn’t know before!)

Thanks go out to Mr. Doug on Mt LeConte for the link.

Blessings,

Denese

I lost my little mind for a while yesterday. :O

I promised Abby and Daniel that I would walk up to our little waterfall before the snow melted.

It’s an icefall right now.

Since we were already halfway there, we decided to go on up to the Foothills Parkway (the cold air must have went to my brain).

Are we there yet?

We made it! Of course, my little mountain boy was first to the top…Daniel, “Momma! I found human tracks and they’re not mine! And vehicle tracks!”.

Walking toward Wears Valley…Cove Mountain.

Back up the other direction…we thought that this is Clingmans Dome, but after checking our maps we believe it might be Thunderhead Mountain (if anyone knows for sure, please let me know).

Panoramic view of the Smoky Mountains, looking towards North Carolina.

Daniel, “I should’ve brought my sled!”

Another view looking towards Wears Valley.

Back down the holler towards home…can someone come pick me up?

Blessings,

Denese

Need a job? Are you close to the Smokies? Do you like outdoor work?

The National Park Service has job openings in the Great Smoky Mountains near Townsend, Gatlinburg and Cherokee.

Jobs available:

• Laborer
• Laborer (Trails)
• Laborer (B&U)
• Laborer (Roads)
• Maintenance Worker (Trails)
• Maintenance Worker Leader (Trails)
• Maintenance Worker (Roads)
• Maintenance Worker (B&U)
• Small Craft Operator
• Carpentry Worker
• Motor Vehicle Operator
• Maintenance Worker (Historic Structures)
• Animal Caretaker

There are 28 jobs in all, most are temporary and/or one year in length and starting pay is $13.00-$19.00 an hour, depending on the position. You can find them and apply online at:

USAJobs Great Smoky Mountains

If you’re interested, apply soon –deadlines to apply for each job are next week, January 12-14.

Blessings,

Denese