9/11 forecast

East winds pick up today as high pressure intensifies over the desert. With pre-dawn gradients at .12, it’s going to be a great day for kiting or windsurfing in Stevenson or at Rooster. I’m thinking we’ll see 20-24 today, or this morning at least, with winds fading this afternoon.

Personally, I think you should go ride Plains of Abraham on St. Helens. Half of Hood River rode it yesterday, so the other half of you might as well head up there today. There’s still a little snow from last week’s early storm, so the views are pretty amazing up there. I think this is the most beautiful ride around (with one of the best downhills around), so if you haven’t ever been there, now’s your chance.

Tomorrow is looking pretty light as a weak marine push cools off the coast. Most likely we’ll see light east winds switching to light westerlies by late afternoon.

At this point, it looks like the marine layer will make its way into Portland on Sunday, setting up a decent west wind day in the central gorge. I think it’s going to be a little cold in the desert on Saturday night for dawn patrol Sunday, but I think we’ll see winds in the mid-twenties at some point Sunday.

If you like surfing, you’re probably already on your way to the coast. If not, you should know that it’s 6.5 feet at 13 seconds today and sunny, and 11 feet at 14 seconds tomorrow, with more sunshine and almost no wind. Magic Seaweed’s giving it four stars both days, so throw your surfboard in the car and head west!

In other news, mark you calendar for a Cook’s Meadow work party this Sunday. Dirty fingers is calling this one the “Jimmy T and Me work party,” named for Ranger Jim, without whom we wouldn’t have many of the trails around here. This is your chance to help build a new trail off the 44 road, as well as increase your mountain biking karma.

Speaking of biking. One final note on the Hood River gas tax. If you enjoy having gravel-free roads (yes, you do like the street sweeper, you road biker, you), please vote for the gas tax.