Mt. Hood snow and Gorge wind forecast | The Gorge is my Gym

Call this a bonus forecast, kind of like the bonus windsurfing and kiting day yesterday. First off, I’m posting a powder alert for the Timberline glacier on Tuesday. Read on:

NOAA: SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP AS LOW AS 2500 FEET
LATE MONDAY NIGHT. SNOW SHOWERS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY WILL
BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR A SIGNIFICANT EARLY SEASON SNOWFALL…WITH
UP TO A FOOT OF SNOW POSSIBLE ABOVE 4000 FEET BY MIDDAY TUESDAY.

If the long-term forecast holds, I think there will be a couple of feet of snow at Meadows and Timberline by the end of next week. Cross your fingers.

Okay, with that out of the way, on to the wind forecast. I’m posting a skip work alert for early next week. Sunday is an east wind day, as high pressure holds over the Northwest. It’s hard to make east wind calls the night before, but I think there will be enough wind for both windsurfing and kiting. Get it early, because an approaching front will turn gradients westerly late Sunday.

The weather picture gets fun and exciting on Monday. A strong cold front shifts eastward Sunday night, and high pressure builds in behind. Get up early Monday and head east of the cloudline for strong west wind. 26-29 is my conservative call for Monday, all day long. Best wind will likely be at Maryhill and Arlington.

If models hold for Tuesday, that’s the day to take off. 26-29 or better is my call, with best wind at Doug’s and Maryhill.

It’s going to be quite cold on Monday and Tuesday, so if you’d like to borrow a pair of Da Kine winter windsurfing mitts, find me. I have lots of demos, and would like your feedback.

Have a great Sunday!

It’s the weekend! Yippee!

That means it’s time to do what you do all week, only you’ll have more time to do it!

So, let’s get to the meat of what you can do on Saturday and Sunday. First, Saturday is 350 day. A series of studies shows that Earth faces both human and natural disaster if atmospheric concentrations of CO2 remain above 350 parts per million. We are currently at 389 ppm. Basically, if we don’t do something soon, we’re screwed. For more info, check out 350.org.

To show your support for reducing atmospheric CO2, walk or ride your bike (do not drive) to the Hood River News at 11am or the Hood River Middle School at noon for a photo shoot. Honestly, I’m not sure what a photo shoot will do to thwart climate change. So, if you really want to do something, don’t drive your car today. Turn off lights when you leave a room. Turn down your thermostat. You know the drill…

I feel guilty about telling you to do the next activity after telling you to do the first. Saturday is the Bottle Prairie work party. If you ride trails (I know you do) and if you like New York City Subs (I know you do), meet at Little John sno-park at 9:30 for carpooling to Bottle Prairie. Bring your bike. Bring your tools. Earn bike karma (you’ll crash less if you help build trails).

Also on bike radar is the Freedom Riders movie (google it, okay) at River City Saturday night.

If you’re a windsurfer or kiter, you know that the best wind from Friday’s frontal passage happened late at Arlington (and overnight, I’m sure, with 8pm gradients at .17/.11/.35). We’ll see leftovers Saturday morning, fading quickly and turning to glass by afternoon. So uncool. Next chance for good wind is (grr) Sunday night, and if we’re really lucky, Monday morning.

Sunday is the Columbia Gorge Marathon. In the rain.

Have a great weekend!