SectionHiker.com Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs 
A one-page listing of weather forecast and trail conditions information for each of the 48 New Hampshire White Mountain 4000 footers.
How many of you spend hours each month searching NOAA, NETC, or Mountain Forecast, typing in mountain names into their tiny search forms on smartphones? I decided to put it all on one webpage instead, with linked and prefilled searches. I originally did this for myself, but I hope you find it useful. The URL is short and sweet too.
https://sectionhiker.com/4kforecasts
Keep in mind that the summit forecast will usually be colder than the approach trails leading to the peaks by approximately 3 degrees for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain. On above-treeline peaks, which are generally 4500′ or higher in the Whites, wind speeds/wind chill will also be less intense below the treeline on mountains with sufficient tree cover.
You can find quite detailed information about all of the approach trails to these mountains as well as advice about winter routes in The 4000 Footers of the White Mountains by Steve Smith and Mike Dickerman, available from Amazon or the Mountain Wanderer Bookstore in Lincoln, NH. It is the White Mountains peakbagging bible.
White Mountains Weather Forecast Sources
- NOAA is the US Government Agency responsible for national weather forecasting and their forecast is the gold standard in the United States. Most commercial forecasts are based on the weather information they publish.
- Mountain Weather Forecast publishes mountain forecasts in a format that many hikers find useful. Their forecasts are almost always too optimistic however in terms of wind speed and temperatures. Beware.
- NETC (New England Trail Conditions) is a local bulletin board where serious hikers post trail-condition information about their hikes which is particularly helpful in determining what type of traction/flotation aids (crampon, microspikes, or snowshoes) to carry in winter and other trail hazards.
- The Mount Washington Observatory High Summits Forecast is particularly useful for hiking in the northern Presidential Range surrounding the Great Gulf. It loses significance the farther removed you are from Mt Washington, except in cases of extreme regional weather. It is only listed for peaks where it’s relevant.
- The Presidential Range Avalanche Forecast is published by the Mt Washington Avalance Center.
- The USGS National Water Dashboard publishes water gauge readings throughout the United States. These are useful for assessing the safety of stream crossings on upstream feeder streams and rivers. You’ll want a topographic map to understand the local drainages.
1. Mt Washington (6288′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast
- NETC Trail Conditions
- Mt Wash Obs Higher Summits Forecast
- Presidential Range Avalanche Forecast
2. Mt Adams (5774′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
- Mt Wash Obs Higher Summits Forecast
3. Mt Jefferson (5712′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
- Mt Wash Obs Higher Summits Forecast
4. Mt Monroe (5384′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
- Mt Wash Obs Higher Summits Forecast
5. Mt Madison (5367′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
- Mt Wash Obs Higher Summits Forecast
6. Mt Lafayette (5260′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
- Mt Wash Obs Higher Summits Forecast
7. Mt Lincoln (5089′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
- Mt Wash Obs Higher Summits Forecast
8. South Twin Mountain (4902′)
9. Carter Dome (4832′)
10. Mt Moosilauke (4802′)
11. Mt Eisenhower (4780′)
12. North Twin Mountain (4761′)
13. Mt Carrigain (4700′)
14. Mt Bond (4698′)
15. Middle Carter Mountain (4610′)
16. West Bond Mountain (4540′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast (uses Mt Bond)
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
17. Mt Garfield (4500′)
18. Mt Liberty (4459′)
19. South Carter Mountain (4430′)
20. Wildcat Mountain (4422′)
21. Mt Hancock (4420′)
22. South Kinsman Mountain (4358′)
23. Mt Field (4340′)
24. Mt Osceola (4340′)
25. Mt Flume (4328′)
26. South Hancock Mountain (4319′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast (uses Hancock)
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
27. Mt Pierce (4310′)
28. North Kinsman Mountain (4293′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast (uses South Kinsman)
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
29. Mt Willey (4285′)
30. Bondcliff Mountain (4265′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast (uses Mt Bond)
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
31. Mt Zealand (4260′)
32. North Tripyramid (4180′)
33. Mt Cabot (4170′)
34. East Osceola (4156′)
35. Middle Tripyramid (4140′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast (uses North Tripyramid)
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
36. Cannon Mountain (4100′)
37. Mt Hale (4054′)
38. Mt Jackson (4052′)
39. Mt Tom (4051′)
40. Wildcat D (4062′)
- NOAA 7-day Forecast
- NOAA 48-hour Forecast
- Mountain Weather Forecast (uses Wildcat)
- NETC Trail Condition Reports
41. Mt Moriah (4049′)
42. Mt Passaconaway (4043′)
43. Owl’s Head Mountain (4025′)
44. Galehead Mountain (4024′)
45. Mt Whiteface (4020′)
46. Mt Waumbek (4006′)
47. Mt Isolation (4004′)
48. Mt Tecumseh (4003′)
White Mountains River Gauges
While these river gauges are downstream of many White Mountain hiking trails, they’re a good way to approximate the magnitude of upstream water levels for stream crossings. For example, the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River Guage in Lincoln is a good way to assess the relative safety of the Lincoln Brook Crossing at Owlshead Mountain because that stream flows into the East Branch.
- East Branch of the Pemigewasset River in Lincoln, NH
- Pemigewasset River at Woodstock, NH
- Pemigewasset River at Plymouth, NH
- Saco River at River Street in Bartlett, NH
- Saco River near Conway, NH
- Wild River at Gilead, Maine
- Ammonoosuc River at Bethehem Junction, NH
- Baker River near Rumney, NH
- Bearcamp River at South Tamworth, NH
- Upper Ammonoosuc River near Groveton, NH
- Androscoggin River near Gorham, NH
- Peabody River at Gorham, NH
This is amazing – thank you!!!!
A huge time saver, although I’m planning a few small enhancements – like some prefilled town and trailhead forecasts as well which can be useful for predicting lower elevation conditions.
This is great – thanks
Jim
Thank you! I appreciate this.
I use it constantly. Save it as a bookmark on your phone.
This is really helpful to avoid those fiddly menus on a phone. Great work, Phillip.
It would be interesting to correlate gauge readings with advice of how challenging certain stream crossing would be.
Thank you, Philip,
This is a terrific service you’ve given us. Thank you many times more!
Thank you so much for sharing!!
Thank you for this amazing resource!
We are out-of-towners looking to get a taste of the Presidentials next week with a night each at LOC and Mizpah huts via Ammonoosuc and Crawford. I have some experience backpacking in the Catskills and surrounding areas, my wife less so but has accompanied me on longer day hikes. Our closest experience to the Whites has been Mt. Whiteface in the Sandwich Range via Blueberry Ledge Trail, and a few other hikes around there. I am a cautious hiker by nature.
I’m hoping to get a little context on the forecasts that I’ve been following leading up to our trip next week. If the NOAA forecast states “possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm” is that enough a reason to postpone the hike, even if I think we can make LOC before 2pm? In other words, is ANY threat of thunderstorm a reason to cancel? I understand it’s a short stretch of above treeline exposure to LOC, like .2mi. I’d hate to cancel the whole trip, but I’d also hate to, you know, die above treeline in a thunderstorm. In our home territory I feel like we can be a little more cavalier, but we don’t have much experience up there.
If you’re coming from Mizpah on the Crawford path, it’s a lot more than 0.2 miles of exposure. You’ll be fully exposed to the weather from half-way between Pierce and Eisenhower to LOC. But treeline is pretty close, so you can always duck down below the trees on side trails until the thunderstorm passes. In any case, for presidential range weather forecasting, the best forecast is the Mt Washington observatory forecast. If they say stay low, I’d head that advice. That may be overly cautious, but I’ve had some pretty scary moments where I thought I’d die in thunderstorms while being hailed on.
I appreciate your quick reply! Sorry, should’ve specified that we’re going north-to-south, going up Ammonoosuc to LOC first, then Crawford to Mizpah the next day. But your advice is still very applicable, and valuable. We’ll see what the Observatory forecast says as we get closer. I shall make a sacrifice to the weather gods.
I wondered about that. The distance between the exposed top of ammo and LOC is minor. I wouldn’t worry about it. Lightning will be attracted to the Monroe summit before you.
One thing to add for interested readers is that you can get a forecast texted to you from the Mount Washington Observatory anytime. Text “forecast” to 603-356-2137 and it auto replies with a pretty detailed report. If you’re out of cell range, you can even message “forecast” to this number on your InReach and you will receive the forecast reply back to your device. I will trust MWOBS forecasts over the built in weather forecast feature on Garmin products.
This came in handy recently backpacking Carrigain. Setup out of cell range at the foot of the mountain as you do, we awoke to pouring rain and were able to get a forecast that let us know when the rain was going to let up and when it’d be safe to start the climb. Worked like a charm.
Thanks for creating this incredibly useful resource! Having all the White Mountain weather forecasts and trail conditions in one place with linked searches is a real time-saver. The details on temperature variations and the guidebook recommendation are also fantastic.