| Your favorite beach | Dawn Patrol |
9am- 11:30a |
11:30a- 3pm |
3pm- dusk |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster Rock | LTE | E 15-20 | LTE | W 5 | |
| Steven’s Locks | LTE | E 15-20 | LTE | W 5 | |
| Hatchery/Wunderbar | light | calm | glassy | W 5 | |
| Doug’s, Lyle, Rowena | light | calm | glassy | W 5 | |
| Rufus, etc. | light | calm | glassy | HOT! | |
| Roosevelt, etc. | light | calm | glassy | HOT! | |
Gorge Wind Forecast
It’s Saturday morning, and the wind is calm upon the river with just an E .02 gradient between Portland and The Dalles. This weekend will be one of hot, shifty wind as the heat low bounces a little bit westward and a little bit eastward. That sets up a difficult forecast, as the location of the heat low, about which models disagree, will determine the exact strength and direction of the wind.
For Saturday, we should see a peak of east wind at 15-20 near Cascade Locks and Home Valley mid-morning through early afternoon. After that, models suggest a switch to very light west wind, 5-8 at most. If those westerlies materialize (dependent on the heat low shifting eastward), they’ll be evident first at Stevenson and then at the Hatchery a couple hours later.
Same thing goes on Sunday: the unpredictable heat low makes for a potentially unreliable forecast. That said, the general picture has been the same for the last several days: light wind on Sunday morning with some form of westerlies in the afternoon. Today’s model run suggests those westerlies will reach 14-17 between Cascade Locks and Hood River by 2pm or so, filling in to Doug’s a bit later.
Monday starts off calm, which is great news for the Roy Webster Cross-Channel, sold-out-as-always, Swim. Right after the swim finishes, the easterlies will pick up to 15-20 between Rooster Rock and Home Valley with east wind at 7-10 in the afternoon through the rest of the Gorge.
Looking long-range, which is of course unreliable, invalid, and all those other descriptors used to describe things that may or may not happen in the future… The GFS predicts easterlies at 30-35 on Tuesday. Thursday might have strong westerlies as a real, strong, rain-producing front approaches, but unstable air will complicate the picture. Let’s keep an eye on that and see what develops.
>
Does this forecast save you time, gas money, or help you have more fun in your life? Make a donation to support continued forecasting, and get the forecast in your inbox each day. Click on the button to donate. The email subscription isn’t $99/year. Not $50/year. No, just $12.34 or more gets you on the list for 12 months. Don’t PayPal? Send a check to Temira @ PO Box 841 in Hood River. Thank you for your support and thank you for trusting my forecast.
Jones, Sauvie’s, Coast Beta Test Forecast
Jones Saturday-Monday: nope! Sauvie’s Saturday: 10-13. Sunday: 5-10. Monday: 10-13. Coast (north/central/south). Saturday: 20-25/15-20/nope, NW swell 3′ @ 10 seconds. Sunday: 15-20/10-15/10-15, NW 3′ @ 9. Monday: 15-20/10-15/nope, NW 3′ @ 9.
Random Morning Thoughts
I wasn’t going to write anything here this morning, and just as I was writing a sentence saying that, something crossed my mind. So often we get our minds fixed on a certain outcome: we visit the Gorge expecting to kite, windsurf, or do some downwind paddling, and the weather doesn’t cooperate. We end up disappointed, frustrated, or even angry.
If we can hold our hopes more lightly, we can save ourselves some suffering. While hoping to achieve our number one goal, we can have backup plans in mind, plans that will also bring us some joy. We can even make plans to try new things, because newness alone can bring excitement and pleasure.
Whatever brought you to the Gorge this weekend (or whatever kept you home), try holding it lightly and embracing whatever may come your way. There’s more awesome out there than you think. There’s more awesome in you than you think. Have an awesome day.
Disclaimer required by my grad school program: I am not your therapist (but I could be 27 graduate school credits from now). I am your weather forecaster. Take everything I say with a grain of salt, and consult with your actual therapist about your mental health issues. One other thing: I plan to keep doing this forecast indefinitely, even when I am a therapist.
Gorge Weather Forecast
It’s a lovely, cool morning with relatively clear air, but the smoke is headed our way. It will get worse over the next few days, so enjoy today! Temps will be in the mid 50’s early and upper 90’s (eek) this afternoon. Light east wind goes to light west wind late. No rainbows. Sunday looks smokier with temps in the mid 60’s early and upper 90’s in the afternoon. Calm wind early. Light westerlies later. No rainbows. Monday looks just like Sunday with a change in wind: calm early and light east later.
For weather specifically directed at travel through the Gorge, please visit Temira’s Awesome Travel Advisory Service on Facebook.
White Sprinter Van of the Week
Road and Mountain Biking
Heads up: Mosier is testing out some new bike-friendly intersections from today on through the 9th. They’d really appreciate it if you’d go check them out and provide feedback: cityofmosier.com/feedback. In other news, all Kreps and SDS lands remain closed due to fire danger. Dethman Ridge Road and Erchk Hill are both closed at their west ends due to bridge rebuilding. To the best of my knowledge, everything else is open. Hydrate!
Upcoming Events
Today’s events start off with free coffee and donuts at Northwave in Hood River at 8am followed by a windsurf jibing and rigging clinic at 9 and 10. There’s a trail run in Post Canyon at 8, a women’s bike ride from mountain view cycles at 9, and a wood splitting and stacking party at Pacific hermitage starting around noon. There’s a potluck meal at 10:30 before the stacking and (iced?) tea at 3pm after the stacking. Today’s also the Gravity Sports Festival at the maryhill loops road and the Bunker to Bonneville Ultramarathon.
Coming up tomorrow, there’s another round of free coffee and donuts at Northwave at 8, followed by a swap meet in the Luhr Jensen Parking lot and free rowing boat demos starting at 11. Monday’s the sold-out Roy Webster Cross-Channel swim.
Click here for the full events calendar.
Mt. Hood Snow Forecast
The Mt. Hood snow forecast is currently on vacation. It will stay on vacation until I deem it to be close enough to winter that we need a Mt. Hood snow forecast. Be safe out there on the snow this summer!
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
