The Gorge Is My Gym

MT HOOD WEATHER FORECAST

Hey skiers and snowboarders! If you want to hit the slopes this weekend, today is definitely going to be better than tomorrow: we’ve got Pineapple Express on the calendar for all of Sunday with up to 4” of rain in the forecast. Mixed precip (probably) Monday is followed by snow Monday night (hopefully), a decent pow day Tuesday, and warm, dry weather for the rest of the week.

Saturday started with a bit of drizzle, so you can expect wet packed groom today. It was transitioning towards granular yesterday, but wasn’t there yet. If I were going up today, I’d be waxing for the conditions – it definitely got sticky yesterday. Anyway, dry weather for the morning gives way to drizzle this afternoon and heavy rain tonight. The snow level will be 6000′ early and will eventually rise to 9500′ overnight. Temps rise from the mid 30s to the low 40s with the arrival of the Pineapple Express. A trace of rain is forecast during the day. That’s followed by approximately 1.5” rain tonight. Wind: WSW 25-35 this morning, SW 30-50 this afternoon, and WSW 45-55 after midnight.

Windy, rainy weather continues all day Sunday. Temps, rain, and wind taper off overnight. The snow level will be 9500′ in the morning, 6500′ in the afternoon, and down around 5000′ in the evening and night. Temps will be in the low 40s early and will drop to 32-34F in the evening. About 2.5” rain is forecast during the day. We then see about 0.3” mixed precip followed by 0.1” to 0.2” water equivalent (WE) of snow for an inch or two of new. The combo of dropping temps and wind could cause icing on lifts overnight. Wind: WSW 45-55 all day, WSW 40-45 in the evening, and SW 15-25 after midnight.

Another round of mixed precip is forecast on Monday as temps hover right around freezing at 5000′. A low passing somewhere offshore will drive the weather on Monday. As of this morning, it’s unclear exactly where that low will pass. If it comes close, we’re going to have some truly extreme wind. Given the uncertainty, it’s not really possible to make a reliable prediction at this point. Generally speaking, we’re likely to see mixed precip during the day followed by moderate to heavy snow overnight. Wind speeds look low enough for lifts to run during the day, but it’s possible they’ll ramp way up overnight and turn the incoming snow into windslab and sastrugi and also knock down trees and generally cause chaos. We’ll keep an eye on this and see what changes in the next couple of days. Moving on… Tuesday could be a pow day. Temps should stay below freezing, and the sun should come out.

Starting Wednesday, we’re looking at a few days of warm, sunny weather. Temps will definitely be above freezing, and they could reach 50F at times. Models hint that we’ll be back to cooler weather next weekend with snow piling up. That’s all for now. Have a great day on the slopes!

GORGE WIND FORECAST

Hi friends! Rain is the big weather highlight for the next few days, but there will be a little wind mixed in. There’s a slight chance of very wet westerlies out east on Sunday with strong morning westerlies out east on Tuesday. Maybe the timing will shift and give us a better shot at this? Saturday starts with easterlies in the 10-15mph range at the usual spots: Viento, Stevenson, Iwash (Rooster) Rock. The wind goes calm midday and stays that way. River flow over the last 24 hours was 98-172kcfs, river temp is 37.58F, and high temp forecast is 52F with rain in the afternoon.

Sunday brings a frontal system through. This combines with strong upper-level wind. The combo could set off some far eastern Gorge wind (perhaps Arlington to Boardman) at gusty 23-26, but even if that happens, it’ll be super rainy. Areas west of Viento, and potentially Viento, should also see gusty westerlies at maybe 17-20mph along with pouring rain. Between Swell and Blalock, the wind should stay calm or nearly so. High temp: 55F and pouring rain. Monday brings another round of rain with easterlies peaking at 25mph at both Stevenson and Iwash mid-morning. The wind fades in the afternoon. Overnight an offshore low with strong upper-level wind sets off some eastern Gorge westerlies. Timing, strength, and likelihood of lasting into Tuesday are all unclear at this point. Cross your fingers! Stay safe on the river. See you out there soon.

BARE BONES HOOD RIVER WEATHER FORECAST

Partly to mostly cloudy sky this morning turns cloudy this afternoon and adds rain tonight. Temps start in the upper 30s and rise to the low 50s. Light east wind. No rainbows. Sunday will be rainy add day and dry after midnight. Temps start in the mid 40s and rise to the mid 50s. Light to moderate westerlies. 26% chance of rainbows. Monday will be rainy all day and dry overnight. Temps start in the low 40s and rise to the low 50s. Light easterlies. 38% chance of rainbows.