7/16 forecast

Good morning!

This week’s report is brought to you by the Gorge Surf Shop at 13 Oak Street in downtown Hood River. The Gorge Surf Shop has Fanatic and Tabou boards along with Gaastra and Maui Sails. Why should you shop there? Attitude… Attitude is everything, you know! It’s the most relaxed shop in Hood River, employing thoughtful, experienced staff. If you’re tired, join the socializing locals in the white plastic chairs right under the air conditioning vent! Why else should you go there? Bart. Enough said for today. We don’t know yet what this week’s giveaway will be, so we’ll call it the super-special prize of the week!

We’re going to see plenty of wind today for windsurfers and kiters to get on the water. The 5am gradient was at .13 from Portland to The Dalles, the cloud line was just west of Hood River (Viento-ish), and the wind was already blowing in the upper teens from Swell down to Doug’s. Portland should stay cloudy today, as a shortwave crosses the Northwest, so the wind is going to pick up. We’ll see 25-28 today, by midday in the western Gorge and then later filling in all the way to Arlington. Sometimes this setup leaves the Hatchery gusty, so be prepared to head east if the wind dies there.

Tomorrow looks very similar to today, with another strong marine push, so we’ll see 25-28 again, with the strongest steadiest wind from Mosier to Maryhill.

The early model runs for Sunday look just as windy as today and tomorrow! The early call for next week is more wind. =)

Down at the Hood River Sandbar at 3pm today, there’s a photo and video session for the Slider Project’s RoShamThrowDown, a wakestyle kiteboarding event taking place tomorrow. If you want to see some of the best riders in the world doing amazing tricks, head down there and check it out. Or, swing by tomorrow after 11 to check out the competition.

Coming up this evening, The Windsurfing Movie II plays on the big screen at the Columbia Room at the Best Western Hood River at 7pm. If you miss it tonight, you can catch it at Andrew’s over the next few days. And coming up tomorrow, UP plays on the big screen at Jackson Park at dusk, there’s a party for RoShamThrowDown at the British Pub starting at 9pm, and on Sunday, Windance hosts an all-sport swap meet starting at 7am!

That’s it for today. Whatever you do today, have an awesome day!

P.S. If you find this report valuable, or you’d rather get it in your inbox, click below for a suggested $10 donation. I’ll put you on the mailing list through the end of May, 2011, and you’ll be in the running for some awesome prizes from the weekly sponsors.