Category: Forecast

Morning everyone! It’s sailboat racing day in Hood River, and I think I might actually try to get on Gorgeous this afternoon. She’s a beautiful boat… It’s looking like we’ll have just enough wind to make those races happen today.

An upper level low rotates off the coast for the next few days, keeping temperatures cool and clouds over Portland. With that low off the coast, strong gradients can’t develop, but the gloom in Portland lets some thermal gradient hold during the day. A teen-strength start gives way to teen strength winds east of the eventual cloudline today. Best winds will likely be at Mosier, Rowena and Doug this morning and early in the afternoon, By evening, winds filter all the way out to Arlington.

The upper low strengthens off the coast tomorrow, causing Gorge gradients to go slack. Highs in the mid-seventies tomorrow with partly cloudy skies make for perfect road biking conditions.

At this point, Friday’s looking like another perfect road ride day with light winds and partly cloudy skies.

Since the weather’s cool, think about doing some mountain biking. Everything off the 44 road is open and clear. Lewis River is open. Falls creek is open and clear. And best of all, my favorite ride, Ape Canyon, is free of snow. If you’ve never ridden it, check it out!

Speaking of mountain biking, the Dirty Divas shuttle Surveyor’s Ridge on Thursday. Call Discover bikes for more information on that ride… ladies only, remember. Or better yet, drop Jennifer Wilson an email at nenzer15@embarqmail.com to let her know you’d like to go. If you don’t let her know by tonight, you’re going to have to provide your own shuttle vehicle! You should be back just in time for the Dirty Fingers co-ed Post and Pint ride. Meet at 5:30 at Dirty Fingers for that ride. Both of those, remember, are tomorrow.

Also tomorrow is the Big Winds standup paddle race. And… the Hood River Triathlon, where you can swim, bike and run to your heart’s content.

But whatever you do today, have an awesome day!

Good morning loyal forecast readers! It’s the end of the July 4th weekend and the beginning of another windy streak in the Gorge.

I am soooo tired. It’s 6am, and I need to go back to sleep. But it’s nuking in the desert… What do I do?!

An upper level trough set up along the coast yesterday afternoon, sending marine clouds pouring into Portland and upping westerly gradients. You high-wind junkies can stop cooling your heels, cuz the cooldown is here. A twenty-degree temperature drop since yesterday sends gorge winds into the I’m-so-happy range today. I’m probably not supposed to do this, but I’m giving you permission to be sick from work today.

We started off with gradients of .10/.13 and .30 and winds in the upper twenties at Doug’s and low thirties at Arlington. As the desert warms today, those morning winds hold steady or even build some. By afternoon, we’ll have 30-plus from Doug’s out to Arlingotn.

The marine layer holds tomorrow, keeping the wind tunnel windy. We’ll see a upper teen start followed by a 23-26 afternoon. The best wind tomorrow will be east of the cloudline, most likely out at Doug’s.

If you’re looking for something else to do today, you could do free tai chi in Wilson Park in Hood River. That’s 6pm, and beginners are welcome. If you don’t make it back from Arlington in time for tai chi, you’re probably too tired for anything else anyway!

Finally, if you’re a mountain biker, High Prarie is snow free with just a couple of trees down, and Ape Canyon is confirmed open and clear of blowdown..

Whatever you do today (that better be windsurfing on a 3.2 if you’re a windsurfer), have an awesome day!