The Gorge is my Gym

Good morning everyone!

It’s my birthday today!

Mother Nature didn’t exactly give me what I wanted for my birthday. I was hoping for 12-18″ of powder and blue skies on the mountain. Instead, she dished up a round of pea-soup fog and freezing fog, with rain or freezing rain on the way. According to my friends on the hill, the skiing is good on the groom, but it’s just not what I hoped for. Mama Nature is still serving easterlies at Stevenson and Rooster, and the .24 early-morning gradient should be enough for some fun river riding today. I’m not sure I want to windsurf for my birthday. Instead, maybe I’ll just enjoy all the “happy birthday” texts, emails and phone calls… (yes, that’s a hint!)

The sailing was quite good yesterday. Stevenson was 38-55 or so, but NOAA reported gusts to 100 at Crown Point. I’m thinking gusts to 100 is probably too windy, even for me. Maybe not too windy for Mike Kitts… I was on a 2.9 at Stevenson yesterday, and it was plenty. Laura was on a 2.8ish, and the guys were on 3.2’s. Pretty fun… I wonder if anyone sailed at Rooster?

If you are hoping to windsurf, today is your last chance for a while. High pressure in the desert breaks down overnight in the face of an approaching system, bringing Gorge gradients down to zero.

There’s not much positive to report in the mountains. It’s been so warm that Skibowl has closed for several days to preserve their base. I wonder if that means no nachos? It’s going to be a big bummer if they aren’t open Tuesday, as it’s the first Tele Tuesday of the year. Coverage is actually quite good at Meadows (not sure about T-line), where we’ve had nice, wet, base-building storms all season. A 60″ base isn’t a 200″ base, but it’s totally acceptable in an El Nino year.

Sadly, the forecast is looking downright dismal for the next few days, with the snow level fluctuating between 6,000 and 9,000 feet until Tuesday. Mix in .75″ of water today, another .25″ tomorrow, and a trace Sunday, and you’re looking at a cold, wet weekend on the hill. Please, somebody, make it snow!

If you are coming to MHM this weekend, there’s the Burton Super Demo Tour (free snowboard demos and swag giveaways), along with telemark clinics on Sunday (I’m only promoting those clinics because I took them last year, and they are awesome. Well, also, my friend Glenn is teaching them, and he rocks!).

That’s about it for now. Happy birthday to me!

Temira

Good morning!

First off, Friday is my birthday. As everyone I know has to work early Saturday, we’re celebrating Thursday. Join me, along with my friends from the Hood River Weather website (http://webpages.charter.net/hoodriverweather/weather.htm) at River City at 6pm-ish tomorrow for pool and ping-pong. It’s also Gary Bogg’s birthday, so you can come bug him about mountain waves, lenticular clouds, and glider rides: http://www.nwskysports.com/

Today was my first morning off in the last couple of weeks, and I’m feeling quite relaxed and comfortable on the couch right now. The only thing that would make this better is a 12 ounce nonfat mocha in one hand and a plate of home fries on my lap. Sunshine would be nice as well, but I’m waiting until tomorrow for that.

Last night’s scary NOAA storm never materialized in the Gorge, as cold air took its time filtering westward. It’s still not here, so we still have bare and wet roads and no snow falling from the sky. More moisture moves in later today, for about .25″ water value. I don’t think the ground will cool fast enough for freezing rain, so we’ll end up with snow or rain out of this system. That’s certainly a relief. What’s not a relief is that we’re going to stay in the cold inversion zone for the next couple of days, as strong easterlies maintain their hold on the Gorge’s air cirulation and The Thing That Lives in the Gorge maintains its hold on our sky.

That should leave us with sunshine on the mountain tomorrow, as high pressure holds over Oregon. Rain and snow return to the slopes on Friday (not sure which yet, but I’m leaning towards the wet side). Freezing levels drop a bit on Saturday, for likely snow on the slopes.

Right now, it’s not snowing or raining up there, and the temp is below freezing. Apparently the snow has not yet refrozen, so skiing should still be fun today. Tomorrow, with the sunshine, conditions on the groom should be fun.

In other sports news, nuclear force east winds blow through the Gorge today, tomorrow and Friday. Today and tomorrow look strongest, with everyone blown off the water at Rooster and everyone at Stevenson on 3.2s or smaller. I might just have to break out the windsurfing gear for a pre-birthday sail tomorrow. Laura, you want to go? =)

Have a great day, everyone!

Temira

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For Gorge recreation information and the best wind forecast, check out:
http://www.theGorgeismyGym.com