Saturday: Mother Nature loves Canadians – strong wind for you!

The best snow forecast for Mt. Hood. The best wind forecast for the Gorge.

Thank you for using this forecast. Like it? Find it useful? Support it (and me!) by sending some cash my way. What’s it cost to support me and get the email version? Not $99 a year. Nope. Not $49. Just $19.99 or more gets you a year. People are added to this list on Thursday and Sunday. My day job is crisis mental health, and I don’t have time on other days. Thanks for your patience! Click below to contribute. Thank you!!

Auto-renewing subscription. Easy. Awesome. Set and forget!

Thank you for contributing and keeping this forecast going! Not ready to subscribe? No problem – please share this forecast with all your friends too! I appreciate your support!

The Forecast

Your favorite beach	Dawn Patrol	9am- 11:30a	11:30a- 3pm	3pm- dusk
Today’s Gorge Wind – these are ranges for the average speed, not a predicted wind range. =)
Rooster Rock	hot	sticky	suntan	buns
Steven’s Locks	10-13	13-16	17-20	17-20
Viento	19-22	24-27	24-27+	thunder? ripping?
Swell-Hood River	19-22	24-27	24-27+	thunder? ripping?
Lyle to Doug’s	19-22	24-27	24-27+	thunder? ripping?
Rufus, etc.	TOO	MUCH	CURRENT,	BRO!
Roosevelt & Arlington	calm	LTW	building…	THUNDER!

Gorge Wind Forecast

Happy Victoria Day weekend, everyone! It’s going to be a windy three-day stretch. Mother Nature loves Canada! We also have a swap meet happening on Sunday morning at Windance. Many thanks to Skip for smuggling in some Cheezies for me!

We’re kicking off Saturday with sunshine and moderate westerly breezes. Models indicate the wind will build and build today, but there’s a very big caveat; the Storm Prediction Center has us under a marginal risk for severe surface-based thunderstorms today. If these storms fire up, and they likely will, they’ll wreak havoc on the afternoon wind. Getting out before mid-afternoon will give you the best chance. If you’re looking for strong wind, wait as long as possible. Our 6am pressures were 30.13/30.02/30.00 for 0.11 and 0.02. Just wait. The desert will be hot as hell today, and that heat low will max the gradient.

By late morning, we’ll have 24-27 form Viento to The Dalles with 17-20 at Stevenson and 10-13 at (too much current) Rufus. Models take the wind to 28-32 this afternoon between Stevenson and Arlington, BUT… this is when the atmosphere will destabilize. Thunderstorms are possible all across the land, but the highest chance, most severe conditions will be east of The Dalles. Stay in the western Gorge for the best results. And remember, the river is cold, the current is strong, and you’re probably not in windsport shape. Neither are others. Keep an eye on each other, and consider safety gear. River flow readings yesterday were 377-420kcfs, river temp is 57F, and high temp forecast is 83F for Hood River and 93F for Boardman.

That safety-gear advice goes double on Sunday as the atmosphere stabilizes and the wind goes off the charts. We’ll start the day with Dawn Patrol of 28-32 from Stevenson to The Dalles with 23-27 east to Arlington. You’ll have to choose between Swap Meet at Windance and First Person on the Water. Afternoon wind rises to 30-40 from Stevenson to Rufus (too much current, but you can stop for Indian Food at the Amayah’s cart in Biggs). Arlington rises to 28-32, and Threemile will be perfectly reasonable at 26-30. High temp: 73F.

A much deeper marine layer on Monday shifts the wind to the east. The day starts with 22-25 east of The Dalles and 12-15 in the west. Afternoon wind picks up to 17-20 from Hood River to Mosier. From Lyle to Threemile, we’ll see 26-30. Or more. The offshore high pressure will be monstrous, and that’s a great sign for overperforming wind. High temp: just 67F. We’ll stick with westerlies in the low 20’s on Tuesday and Wednesday. Have a great weekend!

FORECAST SPONSORED BY / AWESOME COMPANIES TO SUPPORT

Jones, Sauvie’s, Coast

Wind speed in knots. Direction Northerly unless otherwise noted for Coast. Westerly for Jones. Northerly for Sauvie Island. North/Central/South, waves. Wave forecast provided by NWS. Saturday: NNW15/NNW15/N30-35, SW swell 3′ @ 13 seconds. Sunday: 15-20/20-25/35-45, W 3′ @ 12. Monday: 15-20/20-25/40+, W 4′. Jones Saturday: 23-26. Sunday: 17-20. Monday: 21-24. Sauvie Island Saturday: 11-14. Sunday: 11-14. Monday: 11-14.

Mt. Hood Snow Forecast

On vacation until fall unless something extraordinary happens.

Hood River Weather Forecast

Clear sky this morning gives way to thunderheads and a chance of severe storms this afternoon. Temps will be in the low 60’s early and low 80’s later. Open the windows and doors now. Close them soon. Muggy. Moderate westerlies this morning. Strong westerlies later. 5% chance of rainbows. Sunday will start partly cloudy and turn clear. Temps will be in the mid 50’s early and low 70’s later. Windows open all day long! Strong westerlies in the morning give way to nuking westerlies later. No rainbows. Monday will be cloudy and then partly cloudy. Temps start in the upper 40’s and rise to the upper 60’s. Windows open all day long!

Looking for a complete Columbia Gorge forecast? Looking for more humor in your weather? Obscenities? You’re looking for my TATAS: Temira’s Awesome Travel Advisory Service on Facebook.

Local-ish Events

Please let me know of outdoor-related local-ish events. If you don’t tell me, I don’t know! There’s a plant swap/sale at Rockford Grange Saturday starting at 11. Tum-A-Lum’s customer appreciation BBQ is Saturday. Windance has a swap meet on Sunday. The Cascadia Dirt Cup Enduro MTB race is in Post Canyon May 19-21. The 19th is practice day. Just don’t go there. Race days are Saturday and Sunday, approximately 9am to 1pm. Go elsewhere. They are seeking volunteers to help with the race. That could be you! May 20th is the Gardener’s Faire plant sale at Rockford Grange. June 10th is the Gorge Adventure Race in White Salmon. Multi-discipline = multi-sport day.

Regular weekly events: NK Studios in Bingen has a donation-based yoga class at 7:30am every Tuesday. Ferment’s Tuesday night 4-mile walk/run is at 6pm. There’s meditation with monks at 5:15pm (an hour) and 6:30pm (30 minutes plus a talk) at Yoga Samadhi in White Salmon. At 7:15am on Wednesdays, there’s a run from the White Salmon Bakery. At 7am on Friday morning, there’s a run from Pine Street Bakery. On Fridays at 2:30pm, there’s a free meditation and stretching class at Yoga Samadhi. On Saturday at 9am, there’s a by-donation outdoor group fitness on the 2rd floor deck about Ferment Brewing.

Regular bike rides (thanks to the Hood River Area Trail Stewards for collecting). Tuesday is Mountain View’s ride. Meet at 5:45pm on Post Canyon Drive where the pavement ends. Wednesday is the Evo/Kickstand all-ability, no-drop Post Canyon ride. 5:30 from the shop or join along the way. All abilities welcome. Thursday is Mountain View’s women’s ride. 5:30pm, Seven Streams Trailhead. No drop. Thursday is also the Dirty Fingers Post and Pint. 5:30 from the shop or later at Family Man. This is hardcore, race-pace. Saturday morning is the Mountain View road/gravel ride. Two hours. 12-14mph average speed. Starting May 6th, Oregon Ebikes has the women’s ride at 8:30am. Meet at Seven Streams parking lot for a 1.5 to 2 hour ride.

Cycling

This weekend is the Enduro in Post Canyon. Stay away! Ride elsewhere! Eldorado has re-opened. Post is clear of snow to the top. Current Post Canyon closures: 140/Blue Car Downhill and connections closed indefinitely. On weekdays, Upper GP, Lower GP, and the top of Baby GP are closed through approximately May 17th. Chorus, and FMS are currently closed and will reopen approximately May 11. Do not violate these closures. Post Canyon is a tree farm, and we ride there at the grace of Hood River County. Thank you! Cows are in on Hospital Hill. That means dogs are no longer allowed. Even if your dog is cool. Even if you’re a local. Even if … you get the picture! Hospital Hill is private land. Please respect the wishes of the landowners – they’re generous enough to let folks use that land, and dogs have been shot there before. Please don’t ride muddy trails, or you’ll do permanent damage. Always remember to consider gravel riding! If you’re parking at Post Canyon, you will need a parking pass. Those can be purchased at many local shops or online.

Valuable Advice for Gardeners Inhabiting Neighboring Areas

In other news, specifically in Valuable Advice for Gardeners Inhabiting Neighboring Areas… it’s 52 days until July 4th. Get your corn seed in the ground so it’s knee high by then. Remember that corn is a very heavy feeder. Give it some nitrogen love (but not too much). Test your soil, yo. Mine has like zero N’s and lots of P’s and K’s. Yours might be the same, or it might be different, and these ratios affect what fertilizer you should use. Corn, like you, also needs micronutrients, especially calcium and magnesium. Corn, like you (probably), likes companionship. Classic: beans and squash. Also: melons and cukes. White clover. You’re kinda using these as living mulch to keep the soil around your corn from drying out. As always, toss in some marigolds and nasturtiums for beneficial insects. Corn. Really? We’re planting corn right now? Isn’t it supposed to be cool and wet? Happy gardening. Safe travels.