snow forecast - The Gorge is my Gym

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Good morning!

It’s a little bit grey out there this morning, but things are about to get white. If you’re looking out the window, you’re looking at the leading edge of a strong, cold system that contains 2-3” of rain potential for the Cascades.

Yesterday it looked like the storm would start as rain, but given that it’s 30 degrees at the base of Meadows right now, and this storm will cause the temperature to fall significantly, we’re going to see quite a bit of snow on the slopes. 18” of new by tomorrow morning seems reasonable. That will be followed by another 7-10” tomorrow, 4-5” on Friday, and a few more inches over the weekend.

If you aren’t ready for ski season, I suggest you get ready.

Speaking of snow, there’s a very good chance we’ll see some snow in the Gorge on Friday. On Saturday, offshore flow begins, and if there’s still moisture in the air, we’re definitely going to see some snow in the Gorge.

If you’re looking for wind, you’re not going to see much over the next few days. If you’re looking for water in the rivers, you’re going to see plenty. The White Salmon is at 2.5ft, and the Hood is at 4.6 feet. We should see both rivers come up tomorrow after all this rain.

In other news, the Fashion Show is this Friday, so if you haven’t purchased your ticket, you should do so now. Head downtown and pick up your tickets at 2nd Wind or many or the other stores.

Have an awesome day today!

Temira

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The Clymb: free membership.
Access to super cheap gear including Trew, Zeal, Sierra Designs, and many more.

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Good morning!

When I looked at the models yesterday morning, they promised nuclear force wind today. Now it looks like we’ll see nuclear force wind tonight and tomorrow morning. You’ll still be able to get on the water today, as gradients are enough to support low to mid-twenties through much of the Gorge (although you’ll be better off east of the low clouds). You may want to be prepared for a power outage tonight, if you live somewhere that routinely loses power during very strong wind storms.

By tomorrow morning, the winds will likely be on the decrease, but if you get up early enough, you’ll find 30+ somewhere on the river. At this point, it looks like the wind will be light on Thursday.

If you’re a boater, the White Salmon is at 1.99ft and the Hood is at 4.13 feet. The river forecast says the Hood will stay at or above 4 feet for the next few days, so there’s no need to go bonkers because there’s water today.

Now, what you’ve all been waiting for: the snow forecast. It’s still above freezing on the slopes, and it’s looking quite bare right now. However, starting tomorrow, things change. A strong cold front with 1-1.5” of water pushes in. Depending on when the snow levels fall, we could see 6-8” out of this storm, possibly more if luck is on our side. We’ll see another 6-10” (depending on how cold it gets) Thursday, about 3-5” of light powder Friday, and 2-4” Saturday.

Is this enough for Meadows and Skibowl to open? It’s going to be very close… To some extent, it depends on how badly they want to be open. You’ll likely see a limited opening, and you’ll want your rock skis if you stray from the leeward slopes, where the last big storm deposited several feet of snow.

Depending on the approach of the storm and the strength of the accompanying easterlies, we may see snow or freezing rain in the Gorge, down to river level, on Friday. If you haven’t put your snow tires on yet, I strongly suggest you do.

Have an awesome day today!

Temira