Excerpted from Thru Hiker's Guide to America by E. Schlimmer
With nearly a thousand miles of trail, at elevations ranging from nearly 7,000 feet to sea level, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail weather within a single thru-hiking season can range from 90° for road and beach walks to snowstorms in late summer and early fall. On June 21, 2003, the first day of summer, the morning temperature on Mount Mitchell’s summit was a bone-chilling 36°. This reading was repeated on June 22. Brrr!
Once you’re out of the mountains on the western sections of trail, the weather is dramatically more predictable; the elevations are below 3,000 feet in the central and eastern portions of the state. The coast has pleasant temperatures most of the year, but hurricane season can level the Outer Banks (and any unsuspecting thru-hikers). Be prepared for possible layovers if a strong storm is on its way toward the coast.
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