The weather in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is variable and this is also true of Cades Cove. Receiving 50+
inches of rainfall annually, most of it occurring in the spring and fall. Summers by comparison are dry in Cades Cove, but when hiking, you should be prepared for a rain shower. Ponchos are handy items as they are light weight and keep you dry. It is more likely to rain in the afternoon due to thunderhead build up and the tremendous vapor which rises from Cades Cove and other parts of the Smokies. Snows, about twenty inches worth, are likely in the winter but spring comes early in the Smokies and is a good time to visit if you want to miss the crowds.