Category: Forecast

Good morning everyone!

Break out the sunscreen, the frozen water bottles, floppy hats and parasols and get ready for a wicked heatwave in the Gorge. Temperatures break the 100 barrier for the next four days or so, making all those ice-cold local swimming holes look mighty refreshing.

The wind scene’s looking pretty dismal. High pressure over the Northwest crushes gradients down to nothing, and no gradient means no wind. Most likely, it’s going to be glassy through the Gorge for the next four days. If you’re a windsurfer or kiter, make friends with someone with a ski boat or paddleboard. Either that, or head to the coast.

Best wind the next few days will be from Florence down to Pistol. It looks like 15-20, so take a big kite or sail and a floaty board as well as your surfboard. You’ll have waves if you head out there – It’s seven feet today, six tomorrow and five on Wednesday.

If you’re sticking out the heat wave here, there’s still plenty going on. There’s free tai chi at Wilson Park tonight at 6.Tomorrow night is the Big Winds’ ladies Standup club at the Event Site in Hood River. Wednesday brings the annual Hood River Weather website potluck. Google it for more details!

Finally, I just want to say a final goodbye to my friend, Hood River skier, climber and windsurfer, Jeremy Flanagan. Everyone get out today and do something fun in his memory!

(I’m off for a bike ride as soon as I get these forecasts posted)

Good morning everyone!

If you’re a windsurfer or kiter, get it today, because Mother Nature’s heavy hand shuts down the west winds for the next four days or so. Today, we’re starting off with a .08 gradient and winds in the upper teens from Stevenson out to Mosier. This unlikely wind is driven by an unlikely cutoff low in the desert combined with high pressure off the coast.

It’s going to be 16-19 from Stevenson to Mosier early, building to 19-23 by midday and holding til late. Rowena and Doug’s catch the action too, late this afternoon. The kiteboard blowout people end up with a day to practice today, after postponing the event until next weekend.

After today, high pressure builds over the entire northwest, shutting down the wind. The 100 degree barrier falls on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, making for fabulous swimming weather all over the Gorge. Great, right? I’m thinking Punchbowl, or maybe going up to the mountain and rolling around in the snow. Anyway, grab your sunscreen, your beach towel, your surfboard or paddleboard, and head to your favorite Columbia River beach.

If you’re desperate for wind, your best bet will be either Jones Beach (but it was only 18 there today) or the coast from Florence down to Bandon. 15-20 knots is the call at the coast for the next three days. Combine that with a 7 foot swell, and you’re looking at some fabulous kiting down there. If you have a 100L board and a 5.7, you might be windsurfing as well. Honestly, I’m not sure it’s going to be windy enough to make the drive. Surfing, anyone?

If you’re sticking it out around here, think road biking. The wind won’t be here to push you around, so you can take the 7-mile and China Gorge curves as fast as you like. Or… my vote is a ride to Lost Lake, where you can probably get an ice cream bar at the top of the ride. Can anyone confirm the availability of ice cream at Lost Lake?

Finally, as many of you may have heard, local climber/skier/windsurfer Jeremy Flanagan passed away on Thursday. His friends and family have a memorial/celebration of life planned this evening at the Hood River Waterfront Park at 7:30 pm.

Stay cool today, and whatever you do, have an awesome day!