The Gorge is my Gym

Good morning Gorge sports fanatics!

An upper level low sets up off the Oregon Coast this week and a twin upper level low sets up off the BC coast. The two combine for a one-two knockdown punch to Gorge gradients for the next couple of days.

We started off with light westerlies this morning, and light they’ll stay for most of the day. By midday, with a little luck and help from Mother Nature, we’ll see 16-19 from Stevenson down to Doug’s.

Tomorrow starts off light as well, but the afternoon looks better. As a front moves across the state, giving thermal competition to the offshore low, winds pick up a bit. We’ll see 16-19 by early afternoon, building to 22-25 late in the day tomorrow. The most likely scenario has the most consistent winds at Stevenson, Avery and, late in the day, Arlington.

Wednesday is looking light at this point, but Thursday and Friday – yeah, yeah, I know it’s a long ways out – but Thursday and Friday are looking like high wind possibilities.

If you’re looking for something else to do today, head to Wilson Park at 6pm for an hour of Tai Chi. It’s free, and beginners are welcome, so you have no excuse to not try it out. Otherwise, take the light wind as an opportunity to get back on your bike and grind out some miles. Your bike likes to climb hills, even if you don’t. Shh… Listen… it’s crying… ride me … ride me….

Whatever you do today, have an awesome day!

First off, thanks to everyone who helped make Kiteboard for Cancer a success yesterday, especially local sponsors Da Kine, Slingshot, Second Wind, Gorge Performance, Big Winds and Windance. Today’s freeride day down at the Event Site, so go watch some incredible kiting!

While I’m thanking sponsors, I’d like to personally thank Second Wind, Hot Sails Maui, Chinook, Da Kine, Mistral sailboards and Gath Helmets (if you don’t have one, you need to go buy one) for making the best windsurfing gear on the planet, (and biking gear and packs and socks and damned cute jerseys in Da Kine’s case) for supporting me, and for helping motivate me to do this every day. Go buy something made by one of these fine companies (I wouldn’t ride for them if I didn’t believe in their gear 100%) and you’ll be supporting your free forecast.

Oh. Right. Forecast. We’ll see some wind later today. Sunshine in the desert combines with frontally-sustained and shortwave enhanced clouds over the west for another windy day today. Early gradients of .06 will be enough for corridor winds in the 13-15 range. As the desert warms, winds build into the 22 -26 range from Hood River out to Maryhill this afternoon.

An offshore low digs in off the coast Monday, keeping Cascadia cloudy and letting the desert soak up the sun. Gradients won’t be strong with this setup, but they’ll be enough for upper teens to low twenties by afternoon (for day 8 – can anyone confirm that? Ron? – of the windy streak)

Models aren’t handling Tuesday very well, so I’m going to take a wait-and-see stance for now.

If you’re looking for something cool to do today, head down to Cascade Locks and check out the Moth National championships. If you haven’t heard yet, Cascade Locks is turning into one of the premier sailing venues in the country. I know many of you would rather see sailboat racing than a casino or water bottling plant (personally, I’m not going to take a stand on gambling or water, but I do think anyone in the Ice Mountain Water District who buys bottled water is a big loser), so get down there and support Cascade Locks, especially the East Wind Drive Inn and their delicious milkshakes!

Coming up this week is the peak of the Perseid Meteor shower on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. I know, not very sporty, but still cool. The moon will wash out the weaker meteors, but the bright Perseid fireballs will still be visible.