As of October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM ET
South Kinsman Mountain (4,358 ft) is currently 39°F (feels like 27°F) with clear sky and NNW winds at 17 mph, gusting to 33 mph. Today's freezing level is 3,806–11,450 ft. Expect the summit to run about 2°F colder than the trailhead. Trail conditions are rated Difficult.
Bring microspikes (30°F summit low), a waterproof shell (59 mph summit gusts) and a headlamp (only 10h 37m of daylight). Why these · Paid links, Backcountry.com pays me if you buy.
One email when the first widespread ice reports come in from the Whites, with what to bring. Then the Thursday conditions outlook each week.
Valley forecasts don't apply up high — temperatures drop about 1.2°F per 1,000 ft on South Kinsman Mountain.
| Elevation | Temp Range | Max Wind | Wind Chill (Low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit |
| 32° – 47°F |
| 38 mph |
| 16°F |
| Treeline 4,000 ft | 32° – 47°F | 38 mph | 16°F |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 39° – 49°F | 23 mph | 28°F |
Freezing level today: 3,806–11,450 ft
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| Elevation | Today Oct 22 | Tomorrow Oct 23 | Saturday Oct 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 4,358 ft | 44/46° 30 | 30/31° 31 | 38/40° 15 |
| 4,100 ft | 44/46° 31 | 30/31° 30 | 38/40° 14 |
| 3,300 ft | 43/44° 29 | 29/30° 24 | 38/40° 11 |
| 2,500 ft | 42/43° 20 | 29/32° 17 | 38/40° 9 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 42/44° 14 | 30/34° 14 | 37/42° 8 |
4 more days of forecast: plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
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30°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 30°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
59 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 59 mph above treeline, and a shell is what blocks it.
10h 37m
Daylight
Headlamp
Sunset around 5:48 PM, so a late start or a slow descent ends in the dark.
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth, Mt. Washington Avalanche Center, USGS Stream Levels, OpenWeather Air Quality.
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
As of October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM ET: South Kinsman Mountain (4,358 ft) is currently 39°F (feels like 27°F) with clear sky and NNW winds at 17 mph, gusting to 33 mph. Today's freezing level is 3,806–11,450 ft. Expect the summit to run about 2°F colder than the trailhead. Trail conditions are rated Difficult.
Temperatures drop roughly 1.2°F per 1,000 ft of elevation on South Kinsman Mountain. Today the trailhead (2,000 ft) tops out around 49°F while the summit (4,358 ft) reaches about 47°F, with a wind chill as low as 16°F.
Winds at the summit of South Kinsman Mountain are forecast to reach 38 mph today, with 38 mph at treeline. Above treeline there is no shelter from wind — plan layers around wind chill, not air temperature.
The freezing level on South Kinsman Mountain today is 3,806–11,450 ft. The summit is 4,358 ft, so expect freezing temperatures on the upper mountain — check trail reports for ice and bring traction if in doubt.
Summit forecast for 4,358 ft · Kinsman · Updated 3x daily
4,358 ft | Kinsman | 3 routes