How Much Snow Does Gatlinburg Really Get in Winter?

That’s the big question, right? This time of the year brings all the questions about when and how much snow Gatlinburg gets. The answer? It can vary from year to year. Sure, the tourist town is nestled in a valley next to the Great Smoky Mountains. So that must mean a good amount of snow falls in the winter, doesn’t it? Well, if you’ve lived here for any amount of time in this area, you know better. I’m used to some radical weather in Ohio, but Tennessee’s is about as predictable as a volcanic eruption. It’s a science that even the meteorologists have fits with. The best I can do is give you data from the local NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to help you.

Last winter was our first as residents of Gatlinburg, and aside from a January event, we didn’t get much at all. For a little perspective, nearby Knoxville, which you wouldn’t think of as a place for significant snowfall, actually received more than Gatlinburg. In fact, certain areas were dumped with a foot of snow, while we only measured a touch more than 3 inches during the mid-January 2024 system that came through.

If you look at the graph below—courtesy of NOAA—you can see disparate amounts in the past 25 years that really give you an idea of how erratic totals are. In the 2020-21 season, over a foot of snow was measured, but in 2018-19, a mere 0.2 inches fell in December, with nothing else to show for the rest of that season. By far, the largest snowfall this century in Gatlinburg was during the 2010-11 winter, which saw a 16.3 inch total in December, and another 9.8 in January, adding up to 27.2 inches of the white stuff for the tourist town. I’m sure many visitors were delighted with the sight of the beautiful decorations being complimented with the precipitation most associated with the season.

I’ve seen numbers that say Gatlinburg averages around 9 inches of snow during the winter season, but recent numbers (25 years of data) show it to be a little more than 7 inches. Either way, it should tell you that we really don’t receive a whole lot of accumulating snowflakes, especially compared to Northern states that are no strangers to seeing that amount in one day.

The Smoky Mountains itself is a much different story. The higher elevations see significantly more snowfall better measured in feet than inches. This causes many roads to be closed, especially Newfound Gap Road, which bisects the park. Also, the sheer uphill and downhill grades of roads like Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Kuwohi Road, (formerly Clingmans Dome)—among other dangers—causes the Park Service to keep them closed for the entirety of winter. Their resources are already strained, so this is a prudent decision to keep everyone safe whenever inclement weather strikes, which is imminent in those parts.

So, in conclusion, you just never know from year to year how much, if any, snow will fall in Gatlinburg. It is certainly a sight to remember. You may not like it where your from, but it’s amazing how your opinion can change when it falls in this idyllic town and those unanimously beautiful Smoky Mountains. I always tell people to keep checking the forecasts for Gatlinburg daily before and during your stay, so you can be prepared. You may get lucky enough to at least see some snow-capped mountains. And no, it doesn’t get old once you live here.

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