Thank you for using this forecast! Your donations keep this forecast going – despite rumors to the contrary, nobody pays me to write this and post it. This forecast started as a way for me to find better windsurfing conditions. It morphed into a way for me to find better skiing in the winter. Seemed silly to keep that information to myself, so it’s here for you (almost) every day. Make a $12 or larger donation, and you’re on the email list for a year. No dealing with the twice-yearly pledge drive. Sometimes I even have prizes to give away from the email list sponsors. Thank you again for your support! Enjoy the snow and wind and sun!
Good morning,
It’s Friday. It’s the first Friday of May. That means it’s (duh) First Friday. And that means you should be in downtown Hood River from 5pm on, socializing with all those folks you only see at First Friday. You should also be checking out the art (especially the shoes at Columbia Center for the Arts), drinking something chilly on the street (because you can, and because it feels just a little bit dirty and wrong to have an open container in public), and shopping. Support your local economy tonight, folks!
Now, let’s just get the wind forecast out of the way: We’re going to be in a weird late-summer setup for the next couple of days. Heat low in Portland (records will fall) and high pressure in the desert (records will stand). Today starts with a W .04 gradient, but it’ll switch to E by the afternoon, for 10-15 at Stevenson/Rooster. Nice day for a road bike ride or standup paddle session or whitewater kayak run, for sure.
Tomorrow looks much different: East wind at 30-40 at Stevenson and Rooster by mid-morning, holding all day, and filling in to an impressive E 10-15+ from Hood River eastward. The upper valley, upper flats, and upper hills will see E 15-20 as well, so don’t get lulled into thinking Saturday’s a great day for a windless road ride. Sunday brings E wind at 26-30 at Stevenson/Rooster, with 10-15 everywhere else by midday. West wind should return Monday, but a decent chance of thunder in the afternoon brings a decent chance of you getting struck by lightning if you’re kiting (Ben Franklin, remember?) or windsurfing (carbon conducts electricity).
The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear. Temira approves. Click to join.
In other news: Oregon Trail Rally this weekend! Woot woot! Take the kids and the family to the fairgrounds in Odell early Saturday morning to check out the rally cars. Head to the spectator area on Fir Mountain road to watch the action. Head to the Dufur area for more action Sunday, and to Double Saturday night for a party. So awesome that we have this event! I love rally cars. I love rally car drivers. When I grow up, I want to drive a rally car like a rally car driver!
See the rally cars in the morning, and hit Interesting Mosier in the afternoon or evening. It’s the best intellectual stimulation you’ll have all year in the Gorge. 20 talks. 3 minutes each. Just added: “Why is it so damn windy here?” presented by yours truly.
What else… ? Oh yes: Pinner needs your help on the Bad Motor Scooter Trail at 9am on Saturday. The bike racer dudes would like to hammer you into the ground; meet them at Ground Coffee at 9am Sunday. Rugby folks would like to touch you – but not tackle you – on Sunday at 3pm at the Mosier School.
I almost forgot: it’s the last weekend of ski season at Meadows. Get up and get your liftserve action on before it’s gone. 9am-2pm Saturday and Sunday.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
