THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2014
Volume III Issue 353 Copyright 2012-2013-2014
Banner Elk Magazine is published
online Monday through Friday
Ron Johnson, Publisher ron@bannerelkmagazine.com

I am always fascinated by the weather on Grandfather Mountain at the famous Swinging Bridge. Check this out on the day of the "Siberian Episode." Image on the masthead captured by Jesse Pope on Tuesday morning from atop Grandfather Mountain. -Ron

Jan. 8, 2013 - Temperatures took a nosedive Monday and Tuesday on Grandfather Mountain, reaching a low of -17 degrees early Tuesday morning.

Equipment mounted at the Mile High Swinging Bridge, which records temperatures every minute and on the hour, recorded air temperatures of -17 degrees at 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. Tuesday. The bridge is located at an elevation of 5,280 feet.

The lowest recorded wind chill was -58 degrees at 5 a.m. Tuesday, according to the data, and the wind chill still remained around -36 degrees as of 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

The highest reported wind speed overnight was 86.7 mph, recorded at 12:50 a.m. Tuesday. The all-time record wind speed in 58 years of weather observations is 120.7 mph.

Due to extreme conditions at the top of the mountain, the equipment temporarily could not keep up with the forming rime ice and produced an erroneous reading of -103.1 wind chill overnight.

Grandfather Mountain did not reach its coldest temperature ever recorded, which was -32 degrees on Jan. 21, 1985.
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BANNER ELK WEATHER FORECAST
The National Weather Service
 
Remember the days when we used to think that 20-degrees was cold?

The mystery of the mountains. How can the temp
go from -10 to 50 in the space of three days?
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Enjoying the balmy weather at Apple Hill Farm
 
The sun and warm temperatures are a welcome relief at Apple Hill Farm from the past two days. Everyone is back in their normal stalls and fields and enjoying the sunshine with a good frolic or two! 
 
We're still on baby watch with our donkey Cowgirl. We have also confirmed we have two pregnant angora goats! They're most likely due late February at the earliest. It's going to be a great summer to come see babies at Apple Hill Farm this year!






From the Mother Nature Network
"THE LEGEND
OF MICK DODGE"

Talk about living off the grid. About 25 years ago, Mick Dodge shed his shoes, grew his beard, and left modern civilization (and a family) to live alone in the Pacific Northwest's Hoh rain forest. But he's not a total isolationist; he's dialed into a community of mountain dwellers and agreed (although it took convincing) to be the subject of National Geographic Channel's series "The Legend of Mick Dodge."
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Going Up At Lees-McRae College
 
May School of Nursing
Click here to see the live web cam
 
the Lauritsen Technical Theatre and Design Studio
Click here to see the photo album

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THIS WEEKEND ON
BEECH MOUNTAIN
 
Saturday; Triangle Figure Skating Club demonstrations, figure skating lessons, free face paintings, ice sculpting demonstrations, Winterfest Rail Jam, the Grand Opening of the Beech Mountain Brewing Company with tours and, at 5pm, a performance by If Birds Could Fly at the Beech Tree Bar & Grille. 

Sunday; figure skating, face painting, ice sculpting and the popular Great Annual Cardboard Box Derby. 

When you are on Beech Mountain this weekend
be sure and enjoy the "Magic Kingdom of The High Country"

Fred's General Mercantile Store
Click here for some wonderful photos
on Fred's Facebook Page
 
This photo was taken at the opening of Fred's
on Tuesday morning with the temp at Minus 17
 
Before "Siberian Episode"

The world-famous postcard beauty of Fred's.
 

Banner Elk Magazine is published
online Monday through Friday