Best Time of Year for East Coast Travel?

[Skates97]

My oldest son has been serving a mission for church for the past 21 months and comes home in November. I told him that we would fly the Mooney back and tour his mission together, visiting the friends he has made along the way. We will be flying to North Carolina and Virginia Chesapeake area. I don't have an agenda for when to go other than sometime in 2019.

Those of you that live/fly the mid-Atlantic states, what is the best time of year (weather wise) to wander around? We are looking forward to the adventure.

[Danb]

hey I live in DE. most of the year is great for flying, in the winter just be aware of icing, summertime is like most part of the country watch out for thunderstorms. Really the mid-atlantic area is a great place, stay away from the DC area unless you do the program for Dc flight rules, filing IFR helps to mitigate issues in that area, give a a call I'd be glad to do lunch on me. Awesome you have a child doing mission work

[Hank]

Skates, ask your son about summer humidity . . . and thunderstorms. It won't be as bad that far north, but here in July, the little pop-up thunderstorms often only raise the humidity the final few percentage points to 100%, without lowering the temperature at all [from the mid- to high-90s]. Your dry-Western-air self will not enjoy it. Spring and fall, though, can be wonderful!

Another thing to watch for is hurricane season. You don't say what part of NC, but especially SE parts of the state are often impacted by tropical weather even if the storm hits elsewhere or doesn't make landfall. Even in the summer, it's only bad on the ground and below the clouds; altitude is your friend. Crossing from central AL to the NC coast and back this weekend, temps were in the low 60s at 9500 msl . . . . coming home yesterday at 8500, DA was 10,300 msl.

If you avoid the Bravos [ATL, CLT] and the DC SFRA, you can generally expect mostly good VFR and often Direct IFR routing.

Let us know when you are coming through, and where, you will probably have friends when you land. 

P.S.--the most active part of hurricane season in NC is usually August & September. The whole thing is 6/1-11/1 . . . .

Edited August 1, 2018 by Hank

[carusoam]

General ideas on the NE... (check for accuracy...)

August has the hurricane season...  easy to escape... fly to Chicago... Has the Jersey shore, Atlantic City, and wildwood...

September begins the off season... better hotel rates after kids go back to school... Cape Cod is pretty nice...

October starts the chill in the air... great for leaf peeping in NH... Arial tour

November gets cold enough for the first snowfall...

As for weather... what is happening in Chicago today... will be here in NJ tomorrow...

Lake effect snow will be in effect until the lakes freeze over.... if it is warm, lake effect rain will be in effect....

Must haves...

Views of the white mountains with autumn leaves around NH

Early skiing may start around Thanksgiving in VT... usually really good after Xmas...

Crabs in Maryland

Lobster in Maine

Chinatown and Little Italy in NYC... Great for eating 

A Mooney Fly-in in NJ

Walk the Boardwalk.   AC, OCNJ (alcohol free), or OCMD (alcohol a plenty)...

Congrats on finishing up such a great project!

Best regards,

-a-

[Oldguy]

If you are traveling in 2019, the months of April, May, and June are often very nice in NC and VA. The weather related gotchas are early tropical storms in the latter months and late snowstorms in the earlier ones. The first couple of weeks in April would catch the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC. Typically, you will find lots of spring festivals in the earlier part of the April-May time frame.

[Skates97]

42 minutes ago, Hank said:

Skates, ask your son about summer humidity . . . and thunderstorms. It won't be as bad that far north, but here in July, the little pop-up thunderstorms often only raise the humidity the final few percentage points to 100%, without lowering the temperature at all [from the mid- to high-90s]. Your dry-Western-air self will not enjoy it. Spring and fall, though, can be wonderful!

Another thing to watch for is hurricane season. You don't say what part of NC, but especially SE parts of the state are often impacted by tropical weather even if the storm hits elsewhere or doesn't make landfall. Even in the summer, it's only bad on the ground and below the clouds; altitude is your friend. Crossing from central AL to the NC coast and back this weekend, temps were in the low 60s at 9500 msl . . . . coming home yesterday at 8500, DA was 10,300 msl.

If you avoid the Bravos [ATL, CLT] and the DC SFRA, you can generally expect mostly good VFR and often Direct IFR routing.

Let us know when you are coming through, and where, you will probably have friends when you land. 

P.S.--the most active part of hurricane season in NC is usually August & September. The whole thing is 6/1-11/1 . . . .

Oh, I know all about that. I spent two years as a missionary all over Alabama in 91-93, most of the time a bicycle was our only mode of transportation...  In the summer the only time you were dry was after you got out of the shower and dried off, the rest of the time you were sweating. 

The towns he's been in so far are Wilson, NC, Onancock, VA, Greenville, NC, and Smithfield, NC.

When we have the trip nailed down I will let people know, it would be fun to meet some of you along the way.

[PMcClure]

Personally, I think Sept and October are the best flying weather months in the Southeast. Typically clear blue skies and cooler temps. 

[steingar]

What kind of church send missions to the Chesapeake?  As far as the aviation question, there is no better time to fly the East Coast than fall.  Lots of high pressure sunny days.

[Skates97]

1 hour ago, steingar said:

What kind of church send missions to the Chesapeake?  As far as the aviation question, there is no better time to fly the East Coast than fall.  Lots of high pressure sunny days.

At the risk of getting flagged for political/religious content it is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints more often referred to as "Mormons." We send missionaries all over the world, even to Utah where there are already lots and lots of Mormons. 

1 hour ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Agreed. I am from a little town about 20 miles north of Greenville in North Carolina and learned how to fly there when I was a teenager in the 80s. September and October are the best, in my opinion.  While you are there, you should check out the Outer Banks and visit First Flight. Also Ocrakoke and Hatteras. If you visit the beaches during that time of the year most of the tourists will be gone and you'll have it all to yourself but it will still be warm enough to enjoy. The Appalachians are lovely then, too, but I would shoot for September rather than October if you decide incorporate a visit there into your trip. Try to catch the leaves turning if you can. 

Jim

The Outer Banks and First Flight have been on the bucket list of places to fly into since before my son was ever there. He has never made it to First Flight because it is out of the areas that he has been assigned to but they did get to go to Cape Lookout one day. I appreciate the insight.

[Bartman]

The outer banks are awesome. I have flown in there many times from KILM to KFFA and back from both 500 and 1000ft AGL and about 1/2 mile or more off the coast the entire route, and up to 5,000 feet the entire route. It looks different every time and I never get tired of it. 

[aviatoreb]

23 hours ago, Danb said:

hey I live in DE. most of the year is great for flying, in the winter just be aware of icing, summertime is like most part of the country watch out for thunderstorms. Really the mid-atlantic area is a great place, stay away from the DC area unless you do the program for Dc flight rules, filing IFR helps to mitigate issues in that area, give a a call I'd be glad to do lunch on me. Awesome you have a child doing mission work

I feel that sept through most of nov is the best time in terms of frequent stable and calm weather and not as hot or humid in the south.

[Danb]

39 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

At the risk of getting flagged for political/religious content it is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints more often referred to as "Mormons." We send missionaries all over the world, even to Utah where there are already lots and lots of Mormons. 

The Outer Banks and First Flight have been on the bucket list of places to fly into since before my son was ever there. He has never made it to First Flight because it is out of the areas that he has been assigned to but they did get to go to Cape Lookout one day. I appreciate the insight.

Rich is that your son, good looking boy, sure your proud of him

[Skates97]

45 minutes ago, Danb said:

Rich is that your son, good looking boy, sure your proud of him

Thanks, yes, couldn't be any more proud. It must be the result of my wife because I can't imagine I could turn one out as grounded hard working, and humble as he is.

[Amelia]

Hi. 

Weather here in coastal Carolinas is interesting. It is what you find when you get here. Soon as I say late October is glorious, we’ll have a late hurricane, buckets of rain and gusty wind. At least you have plenty of warning. Same for spring. Gorgeous in late April, early May, until a front roars through with lines of big thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes. Pick whatever works best, and have a plan B. And C. 

Edenton, NC is lovely, has free room and board for Mooniacs, if you know who to call.

[Cruiser]

In the winter there is ice ever where there are clouds.

In the spring there are massive fronts with lots of rain

In the summer there are huge Tstorms 

In the fall there is a constant layer of clouds between 3000 and 5000' hiding the hurricanes off shore.

In short there is no good time to fly the East Coast.

[tony]

On 8/1/2018 at 6:42 PM, PMcClure said:

Personally, I think Sept and October are the best flying weather months in the Southeast. Typically clear blue skies and cooler temps. 

I agree

[Skates97]

13 hours ago, Amelia said:

Hi. 

Weather here in coastal Carolinas is interesting. It is what you find when you get here. Soon as I say late October is glorious, we’ll have a late hurricane, buckets of rain and gusty wind. At least you have plenty of warning. Same for spring. Gorgeous in late April, early May, until a front roars through with lines of big thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes. Pick whatever works best, and have a plan B. And C. 

Edenton, NC is lovely, has free room and board for Mooniacs, if you know who to call.

Thanks, fortunately there will be flexibility when we go. The plan will be to have a travel window and when it looks like there is a good 10 day forecast we will be on our way. Right now it is just feeling out when the best time of year would be. From the comments I'm leaning towards either Spring or Fall. It will also be dependent on his college schedule when he gets back.

[steingar]

I shoulda figured. Only the Mormons would send missionaries to the heathen savages of Virginia and North Carolina.  Handsome fella.