Little "Winters" of the Great Smoky Mountains

Just when you think Spring has come, with flowers beginning to bloom and the days becoming warmer and warmer, here in the Great Smoky Mountains and all of Appalachia, we know to prepare for a few more winters.

In mid-April, the Redbud and Dogwood trees begin to bloom and by the time the blooms are fully open, and the colors are vibrant and beautiful, the temperatures begin to drop suddenly. We call this time of year Redbud Winter and Dogwood Winter.

Before you could pull up a weather app on your phone, or even before your grandparents had a yearly almanac to guide them, farmers went by the signs and knew not to plant before the Dogwood trees bloomed. If they did, it was very likely that there would still be a heavy frost or even a freeze, which would kill the delicate new plantings. We are in Dogwood Winter right now here in Pigeon Forge.

Shortly after Dogwood Winter has passed, we know to prepare for Locust Winter and Blackberry Winter. They always come a couple of weeks later and follows the budding of leaves on the Locust Tree or blooms on the wild Blackberry brambles.

The last is always Britches Winter, sometimes called Cotton Britches Winter or Linsey-Woolsey Winter, which is when the threat of cold days have passed, and the wool pants are packed away (with moth balls of course to protect them) and the cotton britches are brought back out. 

These winters are also referred to as “singularities” as the actual little winter itself only lasts a couple of days and it occurs more years than not. When it does hit, you are quickly reminded that it may be Spring according to the calendar, but Mother Nature has a calendar all her own!