The Gorge is my Gym

If you didn’t catch the news yesterday, the forecast has gone into as-needed mode. If you’ve found it useful this summer, or entertaining, or it’s saved you some gas, please take the time to make a small donation at http://tinyurl.com/y9wxspy . You can use your PayPal account, or you can use your credit card by clicking on the logos below (and we know Americans love credit cards!). Anyway, as you might have guessed, it takes quite a bit of time and effort to research all the events and create the wind forecast. If you think it’s worth my trouble, let me know!

Now, done with begging. On to the forecast.

A cold front is working its way across the Gorge this morning. The wind will pick up after it crosses your favorite beach. I’m not going to say it’s going to be great; this setup usually gives gusty, shifty, short-lived wind. However, I think you’ll get 15ish under the clouds in Hood River for much of the day, and 22-25 this afternoon, east of Hood River.

A massive, frigid, powerful, winter-like upper level low sits off the coast tomorrow, sending snow levels plummeting to pass levels and dropping rain showers on the central Gorge. We’ll have light westerlies in the morning, maybe 10ish, slowly picking up into the low twenties by evening. Best wind will be east of HR.

That ULL heads eastward Saturday night, and winds pick up dramatically in its wake. Gradients will be stacked across the Gorge, making winds blast. It’s unclear yet if we’ll see showers, thundershowers, or nuclear force gusts, but we’ll definitely see strong, cold wind.

In other news, tonight is First Friday in Hood River, where you can look at art and wander around sipping your favorite beverage (perhaps hot cocoa is in order?). Tomorrow is Hops Fest in Hood River, where you can come hassle me at the Meadows booth.

Have a great weekend. I’ll send updates as needed (but I’m not getting up early!).

Good morning everyone! It’s gloomy out there this morning, with low clouds covering the highest peaks along the Gorge. With a warm front overhead, and a cold (very cold) front headed our way, Gorge winds will struggle to get out of the single digits today. It’s a good day to sit in a coffee shop, if you have that option.

Tomorrow looks quite a bit better on the wind front. Sometime during the day, an upper level low heads east over Washington. That dynamic combines with high pressure off the coast for building west winds through the day. I’m not sure where the clouds will end up, so I’m going to suggest you head to Arlington tomorrow for strongest, steadiest winds. 27-30 seems pretty likely out in the desert towards sunset. If you can’t stay out that late, you can head out earlier for 23-27 out in the sunny areas.

At this point, Saturday and Sunday are looking cold, with occasional showers and light westerlies. I’m not convinced that NOAA’s correct about the coast going off on Saturday.

In other news, you can catch Crossfit tonight at 5:30 at Children’s park in Hood River, First Friday in Hood River tomorrow night, and Hops Fest (yuck… I don’t like beer. Why isn’t it Tequila Fest?) on Saturday, also in Hood River. Coming up next weekend, Saturday actually, is a CAMBA work party in Post Canyon. If you ride Post, you damn well better be there. =)

Finally, the radio season is done for the year, so forecasts will be issued on an as needed basis for wind, snow or anything else I think is worth forecasting. If you find this forecast helpful or entertaining, or if it saved you gas money this summer, please take the time to make a small donation at http://tinyurl.com/ya7vnh7 . As you might have guessed, putting this together (almost) every day takes quite a bit of time and energy.

Thank you for a great season, and I look forward to seeing all of you on the water and on the snow this fall!