The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear. Temira approves. Click to join.
First thing today, I’d like to say thank you to all of you who donated during August pledge drive month. There was never a day where I didn’t post a forecast, because every day someone donated. Thank you to all of you both for using this forecast and for supporting it! Remember that although it’s free for you to use, it’s not free for me. I put a lot of time into giving you an accurate forecast, and I pay for the hosting on this website. If you find it valuable, please take the time to make a donation to support what I do. Your generosity helps keep this going for everyone. I also send an email version of this forecast. Make a $12 or larger donation, and you’re on the email list for a year. No more dealing with the twice-yearly pledge drive, and you’ll also have a chance to win prizes from the sponsors. Thank you again for your support!
This week’s sponsor is Dirt Hugger, offering curbside food waste collection service for your business, school, office, store, restaurant or hospital in Hood River and The Dalles. All that food waste becomes awesome compost for your garden, yard, farm or vineyard. You can pick up that compost or have it delivered. If we as a society can’t make composting happen through our cities and counties, at least we can make it happen through a cool local business. This is one of my favorite businesses in the Gorge. Support them, please
First, very important news: The Huckleberry Festival parade in Bingen and the pancake breakfast at the White Salmon Fire Station will continue as scheduled today, despite smoky conditions. Go on over and eat some pancakes!
We’ll have moderate east wind this morning, picking up to 22-25 at Stevenson and Rooster, with calm wind in Hood River early, picking up to east 5-10 by mid-morning. After noon, the wind will fade, and by 3pm or so, it’ll switch to light west wind, maybe picking up to 15-18 before dark from Stevenson to Hood River.
The westerlies increase overnight, hitting the mid-twenties by midnight and rising to 30+ from Hood River eastward by Sunday morning. By afternoon, the wind should be at 33-38 from Mosier to The Dalles, with 28-32 east of The Dalles. With a static setup, we’d expect the wind to be stronger on the river than in the hills, but this is a dynamic setup, with an upper low moving over the region. Expect strong wind up in the valleys and on the ridgetops too. I also expect, given the dynamic setup, gusty conditions.
A strong cold front pushes in Sunday night, giving us low clouds at least to Hood River. The westerlies will continue, with 15-18 under the low clouds and 24-28 in the eastern Gorge.
In events today, there’s the Sandy Ridge Enduro, with our local gal racers vieing for top spots. Also today, there’s the Aluminum Man Triathlon in The Dalles and the Rural Rampage bike race in Hood River, benefiting the middle and high school. Coming up tomorrow, there’s a cleanup on the Hood River, meeting at the Gorge Kayak School at 11.
Don’t forget to get online and vote in Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association’s windsurfers of the year awards. You can vote at GorgeWindsurfing.org.
If you’re interested in the fire in White Salmon, there is a meeting at Columbia High School in White Salmon at 10am. Also of note, the fire was 40% contained as of yesterday, and all level 3 evacuees were allowed to return to their homes, with a downgraded evac status of level 2. In addition, a previous version of the fire report stated that dangers included poison oak and rattlesnakes. Good job firefighters.
Finally today brings a float-in at the Nichols Boat Basin. Take note that this is a political event, and I usually don’t mention those, but I have received several emails asking me to mention this one. That said, if you are against the cable park, join the float-in, 11am. If you are for the cable park, do not join the float-in. If you are for the cable park, maybe show up with a big sign showing your support.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
