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Random Morning Thoughts
There’s nothing like getting some Headspace while riding the bus to work. It makes for a lovely start to the day.
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Mt. Hood Snow Forecast
Yes, it’s coming. Be patient my friends. And while you’re being patient, jump up and down with a shit-eating grin on your face and holler with joy.
Today looks sunny on Mt. Hood. The free air freezing level (FAF) will be at the surface early, rising to 5500′ in the morning and rising to 12,000′ in the afternoon, with temps at 5000′ at or just below freezing in the morning and the mid-30’s in the afternoon. Wind will be NE 10-15 all day.
Monday starts off clear and warm, with the FAF at 12,000 early and 8000′ midday with 5000′ temps in the mid-40’s. As clouds move in late in the day, we’ll see the snow level drop to 6000-6500′. Precip starts around 10pm, with .1-.3” water value (WV) falling by 4am, likely as freezing mist, but possibly as wet snow. Wind will be SW 10 early, SW 20 in the afternoon and SW 30 overnight.
Tuesday starts off with a few flurries or sprinkles under partly cloudy sky with the snow level at 6250′ or so. The snow level will drop to 4500′ by 10am, with light orographic flurries continuing during the day. We’ll see .1-.3” WV from 4am-4pm, for 1-3” of new. A weak system swings through overnight, with .3-.5” WV, for 2-5” of new snow by 4am Wednesday. Wind will be SW 30ish all day.
If the long-range models are correct, Wednesday looks partly cloudy. The next system swings in late on Wednesday with the snow level at 4500-5000′ with .8” or so WV. That’s a good shot of snow – 6-8”. And the next system isn’t far behind it, with over 1” WV during the day Thursday, for another 8-13”. So… if the long-range models are correct, we’re sitting pretty in powder next week. Cross your fingers that nothing changes in those prone-to-change long-range models.
Gorge Weather
It’s quite cold this morning. I know that because when I did the morning sky check, I froze my ass off through the holes in my long undies. The sky is mostly clear. Temps will rise to the upper 30’s today. Tomorrow starts off equally butt-chilling, and remains quite cold during the day, probably getting just above freezing, but dropping back to below-32 temps overnight.
That’s problematic, as a warm, moist air mass moves over the cold air, giving us light snow followed by light freezing rain starting around 10pm and ending around 4am, for a total of .1-.2” water value, at most. That’s not much accumulation, but enough to make for scary driving. Tuesday starts off sub-freezing and partly cloudy, with a few flurries possible. It’ll warm to the upper 30’s in the afternoon, but that cold air is going to be slow to scour out as the wind remains relatively light through the usually-windy Gorge.
Gorge Wind Forecast
Well, I don’t know where the nuking east winds are at, but they’re not out there yet. It was just 6mph in Steven’s Locks and 27mph at Rooster’s Rocks (thanks, iWindsurf/iKitesurf) at 5am with an E .l0 gradient. According to our friends at NOAA, the desert high will intensify today and a heat low will move up the coast, meaning those gradients will pick up, and we’ll still see a nukin’ day at Rooster. Tomorrow starts off with 35-45 at Rooster, dropping slowly during the day to the teens in the afternoon. Tuesday starts off light (read Gorge weather for why that’s problematic, and switches to light westerly in the afternoon).
Road and Mountain Biking
I had a report from yesterday that Syncline is once again a nasty, muddy, freeze-thaw mess. So please leave it alone. And if you’re so selfish that you must ride it, please ride THROUGH the mud, not around it, because the mud-avoiders are making an already wide and braided trail wider and more braided.
As for road riding… holy crap were the roads frosty this morning. Maybe riding a road bike this morning isn’t a great idea.
The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear. Temira approves. Click to join.
Events – email me if I’ve missed any outdoor-related events
On Monday, Shortt Supply hosts a lecture on running nutrition 101. Speaking of nutrition, don’t forget about the Jambalayoff Jambalaya contest at Dirty Fingers at 5:30 Monday in conjunction with the BCS bowl game (whatever that is – if there aren’t Seahawks involved, I don’t care).
There’s ping pong happening at the Hood River Armory 3-5pm this afternoon and there’s pickup rugby in Mosier at 3pm at the Mosier School.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira