I just checked the webcams at Meadows at 7:30, and it appeared to still be raining at the top of Cascade. With sub-freezing temps, that must mean freezing rain. But that’s really beside the point. Expect the snow level to be around 8500′ early, dropping to 6500′ overnight and 6000′ after midnight. We’ll see sprinkles this morning and partly cloudy sky (maybe, depending on the storm track), this afternoon, as the storm track shifts north. It’s hard to say how much rain we’ll get today… yesterday’s models showed .2-.3”, and Mt. Hood saw an inch. So, let’s say somewhere under .5” of rain in the next 12 hours, with the rain rate decreasing this afternoon. Wind today will be SW 25-30 all day. Continued after the chart.
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4a-8a | 8a-12p | 12p-4p | 4p-8p | 8p-4a |
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| Today 8500′–>6500′ |
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| Tomorrow 6500′–>1500′ |
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| The Next Day 1500′–>6500′ |
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Mt. Hood Snow Forecast, continued…
Tomorrow looks oh-so-interesting! The snow level starts at 6000′ early and crashes to 1500′ by 7am, staying there for the rest of the day. We’ll see .7” water value (WV) between 4am and 4pm, for 5-7” of new snow. Then we’ll see another .3” WV between 4pm Sunday and 4am Monday, for another 3-4” of snow. The wind will be brutal on Mt. Hood tomorrow: SW 40 early, swinging to NW 50 by mid-morning and fading to NW 35 overnight. Total snowfall with this system will be 8-11”.
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Monday morning starts out with flurries or maybe even partly cloudy sky. Clouds move in during the afternoon, and precipitation starts around 1pm, first as snow, then likely switching to rain. The snow level will be 1000′-1500′ early, 3500′ when the precip starts, and 6500′ a couple hours after that. We’ll see approximately 2” WV between 4pm Monday and 4am Tuesday, most of which will fall as rain. Wind on Monday will be W 40 early and WNW 50, which may enhance rainfall rates over the prediction.
Normally I’d leave it at three days, but Tuesday and Wednesday both look warm and very rainy, with the wind on Tuesday currently predicted to be W 70. Wow! It’s not what we skiers and snowboarders want, but it sure is interesting, eh?
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Gorge Wind Forecast
I’m so excited to write both the wind and snow forecasts today, because there’s interesting information in both. Let’s get today’s wind forecast out of the way: light and variable all day long. Ok. Good. Done with that. I’ll let NOAA start off tomorrow’s forecast: “TRAVELING WILL BE DIFFICULT ON SUNDAY ACROSS MOST OF EASTERN WASHINGTON AND EASTERN OREGON…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. TIE DOWN LAWN FURNITURE…GARBAGE CANS…AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AS THESE TEND TO BECOME AIRBORNE DURING STRONG WINDS.”
Ha. Okay. Maybe it’s not funny if you’re traveling, but it’s great news if you’re a windsurfer or kiter driving anything other than a White Sprinter Van! If you want a piece of these winds, you’re going to want to get up really early and drive pre-emptively, as the windiest period will be 7am-1pm, according to the GFS; that’s when a compact low will move across southern Oregon and a cold front will move across the Cascades. It’s hard to say what will happen in the western Gorge – very gusty, very strong, very up-and-down conditions are likely. Get east of the solid low clouds tomorrow morning, and you’ll find 30-40+. Bring warm clothes and the smallest gear you own, and DO NOT go out alone.
Monday looks like 10-13 or less. You can get excited again for Tuesday. A compact low will move across BC and a strong weather system will cross the Cascades. Tuesday, again, will bring 30-40+ (unless something changes), and Tuesday will be warmer than tomorrow.
Random Morning Thoughts
Being a skier, a forecaster, and a resort employee gives me a somewhat different take on the weather forecast; as long as the forecast is interesting, as long as it isn’t high pressure day after day, I’m happy. So, yes, I’m happy as a clam this morning, because the forecast is anything but monotonous.
I could be frustrated – perhaps I really want it to snow (not until after fall quarter finishes, please!), or perhaps I want sunshine and perfect dirt. But there’s nothing I can do about the weather, just as there’s sometimes not a lot we can do about the things happening in our lives and the people around us. So, I’m excited about all the rain and wind on the mountain.
We can find good in situations and people to go along with the things we don’t like. As the movie Inside Out pointed out so beautifully, each interaction contains many emotions; we can hold more than one emotion at a time. It’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to not like someone. And it’s okay to hold competing emotions along with the dominant one.
Can you find just enough positive reframe to see something happy while you’re sad? To see something you can like or love about the person or thing you hate? Can you find a tiny shining light in your darkest moments? It’s okay to have mixed feelings. Complexity is one of the beautiful things about being an adult. Be complex. Be awesome. Have an awesome day.
Disclaimer required by my grad school program: I am not your therapist. 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.
Gorge Weather Forecast
It’s another cloudy, soggy morning here in the Hood, and we’ll see continued sprinkles today. The bulk of the moisture, the models say, will stay to the north of us. So, expect temps in the low 50’s early and upper 50’s this afternoon with showers early and possible sunbreaks later. Light wind, 33% chance of rainbows.
Tomorrow starts off with rain and finishes up with showers. Temps will be in the low 40’s early and the upper 40’s in the afternoon. NUKING wind. 98% chance of rainbows. Monday looks partly cloudy early (or maybe there will be Nothing) with clouds midday and heavy rain overnight. Temps will be in the upper 30’s early and the low 50’s in the afternoon. Light wind. Be very careful driving on Monday morning, especially over 1000′. Icy roads are a distinct possibility. Tuesday looks warm and rainy. So does Wednesday.
White Sprinter Van of the Day
Road and Mountain Biking
It’s wet. Very wet. The trails are wet and the roads are wet. However, the trainer bikes at the Power Station are not wet at all, unless you sweat on them. And did you know that the Power Station is going to put in showers? I found that out yesterday. So, you could ride a trainer bike, get wet, and take a warm shower. Better than being rained on, I think. If you want to ride road bikes, you can do that today in the showers and light wind. Tomorrow will be WAY too windy. Monday will be too cold if you ride above 1000′ – the roads will likely be icy. In other bike news, there are two work parties in Post Canyon today. Meet at 9:30am at Family Man. The dirt should be perfect… for digging!
The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear.
Temira approves. Click to join.
Upcoming Events
As I said before, there are two trail work parties, both meeting at 9:30am at Family Man. There’s a trail run that meets at the bottom of Post Canyon at 8am. On a Saturday. Sheesh. Who gets up that early on a Saturday? There’s also a free half-day meditation retreat at Yoga Samadhi today from 1pm to 5pm.
Coming up tomorrow, there are free yoga classes: 9am at Yoga Samadhi and 4pm at Pure Yoga in The Dalles. There’s also ping pong at the Hood River Armory at 5:30 and pickup touch rugby at the Mosier School at 3pm.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
