Author: Temira

Morning everyone! Since none of you showed up with a pot of strong coffee this morning, I’m going back to bed. First, though, your forecast.

Today is day three of the windsurfing national championships at the Hood River Event site. It’s also kiteboard blowout day today! Or at least, they’re going to try later. If you’re up for the challenge, meet at the east point launch at Stevenson. Skippers’ meeting is at 11am. If there’s no wind by 2 or so, they’ll call it off and run it tomorrow. Speaking of wind…

Against all odds, westerlies hold their ground this weekend. A cutoff low hunkers down in the desert and high pressure digs in off the coast. Despite the heat, the wind will blow in blowdryer style. Weak gradients and light wind this morning build to 17-20 by early afternoon from Stevenson down to Mosier. The wind shifts eastward late in the day, giving the doug’s, rowena and lyle crowd their shot at 19-23.

Tomorrow looks quite similar to today, but a little warmer. As the mercury climbs to 90 in Portland and near 100 in The Dalles, the high-low pressure combo keeps the westerlies going. Watch for 17-21 in the morning and 22-24 in the afternoon. At this point, it looks like the wind will finally die Monday, with temperatures nearing 100 in both Portland and Hood River.

In other news this weekend, Washougal Motocross track hosts the Lucas Oil Motocross nationals today. There’s the Hood River fair for your cotton-candy eating enjoyment… last day is today.

Also tomorrow is the unofficial and unsupported swim for the red buoy under the Hood River bridge. Unofficially, this group of very strong swimmers meets at the east end of the Hood River inn at 7:30 every Sunday morning.

If you’re still looking for more stuff to do (organized bike rides or anything else I happen to think cool), check out the activity calendar on the homepage here . Speaking of, if you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to tweet your windsurfing/kiting onsite reports. Windsurfers, tag with #gorgewind, and kiters, tag with #gorgekite. In your tweet, include location, average sail/kite size, time, and current conditions. (I can’t wait for the first time Dave Brown tweets “don’t come to the Wall – direction all wrong” or Dayna Reed says “I’m at Arlington. 3pm. It’s 3.2 and it’s a C-. No swell. Don’t drive.”) See the utility of this?

Whatever you do today, have an awesome day!

The organizers of the US Windsurfing Nationals must have done something to please Mother Nature. 30+ yesterday gives way to more westerlies today and tomorrow. Come down to the Event Site and check out the racing today!

Another marine push this morning set up an early gradient of .11. That was enough to drive early morning winds into the low twenties in the Corridor. High pressure off the coast combines with a cutoff low in the desert to drive winds in the 23-27 range today. Since the marine deck will likely burn off earlier, there’s going to be a midday lull, followed by an afternoon build from Mosier out to Maryhill in the 24-27 range.

That cutoff low hangs in the desert tomorrow and high pressure stays off the coast for another west wind day in the Gorge. There won’t be much marine deck, but I think we’ll still see light westerlies tomorrow morning building to 17-21 by mid afternoon.

High pressure holds off the coast on Sunday as low pressure stays parked in the desert. Despite near-100 degree temps, we’ll still see a breeze in the gorge. Light west winds Sunday morning give way to 19-22 Sunday afternoon.

If you’re looking for something else to do, don’t forget about the Hood River County Fair. My official cherry supplier, Denise, says that nothing beats the view of Mt. Hood from the top of the Ferris Wheel in the evening. Go check it out!

And whatever you do today, have an awesome day!