Your forecaster.
Random Morning Thoughts
Back to Gratitude Month, day 22: On some level I was dreading ski season starting, because it’s my work season, with a near-endless string of 4am wakeups. But I went to the mountain yesterday to set up my office and ran into all my mountain friends. And I realized something: these people are not just friends. They are family. They love me, and I love them. And it doesn’t matter how many times my alarm clock wakes me up at 4am, because it’s sending me into the arms of a whole lot of unconditional love. So, thank you, mountain family, for being the only family I have (except for the Dirty Fingers people – they’re family too.)
Awesome Temira-approved Local Business – Cebu Lounge and Riverside Grill
Hey Portland. Hey Hood River. Skip the cooking this Thanksgiving: ride or sail or ski all day and then head on down to Riverside for Thanksgiving dinner. They’ll take care of your dinner and clean up, with served plated dinners. Traditional turkey and trimmings, or vegetarian, prime rib, and salmon options. Serving 12-9pm. Reservations recommended. 541-386-4410. And as always, the best happy hour in the Gorge 4-6pm and $12 Prime Rib Tuesdays, Temira’s favorite. The folks on the mailing list are in a raffle for free Prime Rib for two. Don’t you wish you were on the mailing list?
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Mt. Hood Snow Sunshine Forecast
Just a quick definition: A couple of folks have asked about the difference between freezing level and “free air freezing level”, or FAF. Today’s a good day to illustrate this. Cold air is trapped down in the lower elevations right now, giving us sub-freezing temps at Columbia River level. Above us, we’ll see above-freezing air between approximately 4000′ and 10,000′ later today, with sub-freezing temps above 10,000′. So, the freezing level at the surface doesn’t really count. It’s the free air above us where we measure the FAF, meaning later today we’ll see sub-freezing air at the surface with a FAF of 10,000. Make sense? Thank you for listening. End of lecture.
How does clear and cold followed by clear and warm sound to you? Spring skiing in November? I know you want powder, but unfulfilled desire is the root of much suffering. Accept the sun. Accept the spring skiing. And get your pass out and ride, because Meadows decided late last night to switch from Buttercup/Easy/Carpet to Cascade/Daisy/Buttercup/Carpet.
Today will be sunny and dry on Mt. Hood. The inversion is already in place, with 29 degrees at 7300′ and 23 degrees down here in the valley. Expect the inversion to become more intense, with the 5000′ temp at 40 degrees this afternoon and the free air freezing level (FAF) at 10,000′. Wind will be light and variable (LTV) early and E 5-10 later on.
On Saturday, sunny and dry conditions continue, with the FAF around 10,000′ and temps rising to the low to mid-40’s at 5000′. Wind will be ENE 10.
Sunday sees continued sunny and dry weather up high, with the FAF at 12,000′ and LTV wind becoming SW 5-10 in the afternoon.
The extended forecast is worth quoting NOAA: “HOWEVER…THERE IS A CHANCE SHOWERY WEATHER WILL ARRIVE AT SOME POINT NEXT WEEK.” Lots of hedging there, and the thing not mentioned is that the possible showery weather that may possibly arrive at some point kinda looks kinda warm, if not super wet.
Plain Old Local Weather
Clear, cold and dry is the forecast. Really dry. The dewpoint this morning is 18 degrees. It was so dry yesterday that I ended up dehydrated, leading to a leg cramp at a really bad time. (No, not that kind of really bad timing.)
Expect temps in the Gorge to rise to the mid-thirties today, tomorrow and the next day. However, as the east flow starts to weaken on Sunday, we may see some inversion clouds start to build. Wait and see, and enjoy the sunshine we have now.
Gorge Wind Forecast
I guess nobody windsurfed or kited yesterday, because I didn’t see any photos posted by Trudy Lary. No photos = no sailors. As I wrote this, it was 36 degrees at Rooster. That’s above freezing, and I’ve been desperate enough to windsurf in 36 degrees before. What’s your degree of desperation? Expect 30-40 at Steven’s Locks today and 40-60 at Rooster, driven by an impressive E .22 gradient. Tomorrow looks similar. Sunday sees slightly less wind, but still enough to qualify for the 30+ forecast.
Road and Mountain Biking
I did a quick sprint on Eastside Road yesterday. While I was suffering on my merry way, a car turned off Old Dalles Road and passed me. The mountain bike on the back was covered in mud, and that leads me to believe Whoopdee is in freeze-thaw mode. So, please, don’t ride Whoopdee today, or you’ll be wrecking the tread. Steve D and his team of volunteers worked really hard to make that trail epic. Don’t disrespect their work. Ride Post under the trees where it’s frozen or ride Hospital under the trees, but please avoid the sunny trails. Or ride early when they are still frozen, fast and fun!
The road biking is spectacular right now.
The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear. Temira approves. Click to join.
Events – email me if I’ve missed any outdoor-related events
Yo. Ski season starts on Saturday at Meadows. So, wax warm, grab your camera, and come play in the snow! And that’s it. I know there’s more going on, but you peeps have to tell me about it or I won’t know!
If you’re interested in serving on the Hood River County Recreation Trails Committee, there are three positions open to application: Moto, Citizen, and Hiker/Runner. Applications are due on December 13th.
Kanaha Beach Park Petition Information
I’m passing on the link to the Kanaha Beach Park petition. My (admittedly incomplete) understanding of the issue is that there’s been a conflict between swimmers and kiters, resulting in a lawsuit to close major portions of the waterfront to vessels (including kiteboards and windsurfers). This lawsuit asks the state to enforce laws already on the books but not currently being enforced. Make a difference: sign the petition. Keep Kanaha accessible to all users.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
