Forecast - The Gorge is my Gym

Good morning!

This week’s report is brought to you by Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association. It’s PSA week, so no prizes. You’re actually supposed to join CGWA this week. Why? Because CGWA protects your beaches and keeps you updated on all the windsurfing happenings at their website, gorgewindsurfing.org. So, consider joining CGWA for $25 by clicking here. I’m a member. You should be too.

If you’re a big fan of the east winds, get down to Stevenson and get some this morning, because they’re going to die early. Right now it’s blowing in the upper teens, and you probably have a couple more hours of this before the fade and switch. As a thermal trough shifts eastward today, this morning’s light easterlies will switch to light west winds. If the incoming onshore push happens earlier than expected, we’ll see just enough west wind for slalom sailing or kiteboarding late this afternoon. Otherwise, just rest today and prepare yourself for tomorrow.

As cold air pushes into Portland tonight and the thermal trough parks in the desert tomorrow, high temperatures in the central Gorge will drop 20 degrees, setting up a huge west wind day on the water. It’s hard to tell where the cloud line will end up tomorrow. If it stays west of Hood River, we’ll see upper twenties or more at the Hatchery and Mosier early. If the clouds push further east, Mosier and Doug’s will be the windy spots in the morning. By afternoon, winds fill in at Maryhill for a 30+ day at The Wall and Rufus, and Arlington late in the day.

More clouds push in tomorrow, keeping the west wind blowing. With colder temperatures on both sides of the Cascades, the wind will be lighter the next few days, but still sailable through the weekend.

Boaters, the White Salmon’s still hovering just below two feet and the Klickitat’s right around 750 cfs. If you’re available Saturday, there’s a free kayak slalom clinic on the Clackamas. Give Alder Creek a call for more information or head here for more information. There’s also an associated race on Sunday.

Also this weekend is the Oregon Open Ocean SUP race at Newport, Oregon. Check it out here.

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

Temira

p.s. If you find this report useful, entertaining, or just want to recognize all the hard work that goes into it, please take the time to make a donation by clicking on the button at the bottom of the page. For a suggested donation of $10, I’ll add you to the email version of this list ‘til May 2011, putting you in the running for cool prizes donated by the weekly sponsors.

Good morning!

Today’s going to be a beautiful, sunny day, with temperatures climbing to around 90. If you have the day off, I’m voting for hiking at Cloud Cap, because it’s cool, quiet and uncrowded, with gorgeous views. If you want to get on the water, there are some east winds this morning at Stevenson and Rooster. They’ll hold in the 22-24 range until early afternoon.

Coming up tomorrow, the heat low shifts eastward over the Cascades and a trough of low pressure moves towards the coast. We’ll see light east winds in the morning, probably in the 10-15 range. By mid-afternoon, gradients should turn around, causing west winds to climb into the 13-17 range from Stevenson down to Hood River.

Gradients continue to build overnight Wednesday, setting up a big west wind day on Thursday. Dawn patrol at the Hatchery looks likely, with early winds in the mid-twenties. By midday, winds should be in the upper twenties to low thirties near the hatchery, with gusty low twenties at the Sandbar. Dress warmly tomorrow – temperatures are going to drop into the 70’s.

At this point, it looks like cool weather in Portland will continue through the weekend, making every day from Thursday to Sunday windy.

Coming up this evening, there’s the Tuesday Night Tri, where you can swim in the Columbia, sprint 8 miles on your bike, and run 2 miles on flat ground. Everyone is welcome – just show up at the east end of the Event Site at 6pm.

Temira