Random Morning Thoughts
In a departure from Gratitude Month (since I can’t seem to keep the days straight), I’m passing on the link to the Kanaha Beach Park petition. My (admittedly incomplete) understanding of the issue is that there’s been a conflict between swimmers and kiters, resulting in a lawsuit to close major portions of the waterfront to vessels (including kiteboards and windsurfers). This lawsuit asks the state to enforce laws already on the books but not currently being enforced. Make a difference: sign the petition. Keep Kanaha accessible to all users.
Awesome Temira-approved Local Business – Cebu Lounge and Riverside Grill
Hey Portland. Hey Hood River. Skip the cooking this Thanksgiving: ride or sail or ski all day and then head on down to Riverside for Thanksgiving dinner. They’ll take care of your dinner and clean up, with served plated dinners. Traditional turkey and trimmings, or vegetarian, prime rib, and salmon options. Serving 12-9pm. Reservations recommended. 541-386-4410. And as always, the best happy hour in the Gorge 4-6pm and $12 Prime Rib Tuesdays, Temira’s favorite. The folks on the mailing list are in a raffle for free Prime Rib for two. Don’t you wish you were on the mailing list?
Today | |||||
Tomorrow | |||||
The foreseeable future |
Mt. Hood Snow Sunshine Forecast
There will be no Mt. Hood snow between now and Tuesday, at least. But that’s not stopping Meadows. They’re open for a “preview weekend” this weekend with Buttercup, Easy Rider and the Carpet. 9am-4pm.
Today looks clear and cold, with the free air freezing level (FAF) at the surface, rising to 500′ this afternoon. Expect east wind at 15-20 on Mt. Hood.
Tomorrow looks clear, but a developing inversion will raise temps above freezing, into the mid-30’s, between 5000′ and 7500′, giving us a FAF of 7500′. Wind will be NE 10-20+.
Saturday and Sunday both look sunny, dry and relatively warm on Mt. Hood, which will be above the inversion. The FAF will be between 10,000′ and 12,000′, with temps in the low to mid 40’s with light and variable wind.
As I said before, models agree on dry and “warm” conditions through Tuesday, with a storm system later in the week currently predicted to pass well south of us. But that’s a long way out, and models are not agreeing on the path of the storm.
Plain Old Local Weather
Holy icebergs and polar bears. I blew that forecast. I thought it would be 25 degrees this morning. It’s 20 degrees. Total fur coat time for sure. We’ll see clear and cold weather in the Gorge today, with temps likely rising just above freezing this afternoon. Tomorrow also looks clear and cold with temps hitting the mid to upper 30’s in the afternoon. On Saturday, clear and cold weather continues, but temps should get into the mid-thirties here in inversion land. You’ll find warmer weather and cleaner air on Mt. Hood, above the inversion.
Gorge Wind Forecast
Are you insane? It’s 20 degrees out there. With an E. 10 gradient driving wind near 30mph, you’re looking at a wind chill of 1°. While I appreciate your enthusiasm, I shake my head at your foolishness. Should you want to take pictures of strong wind, tomorrow is the day, with Rooster likely in the 50-60mph range and Stevenson at 40ish. Temps in the Gorge might get slightly above freezing tomorrow, should you be interested in freezing your nether regions. On Saturday, we’ll see another round of very strong easterlies, with temps in the mid-thirties, which used to be warm enough in my windsurfing world where the equation for “warm enough” is: water temp + air temp + wind speed > 100.
Road and Mountain Biking
Oh do I wish I could ride today, because riding on hard-frozen Post Canyon dirt is one of my favorite things. With the temp at 20 degrees this morning and sunshine in the forecast, I suspect Syncline will develop a bad case of the freeze-thaw today. Whoopdee should be fine, and so should Post, at least in forested areas. I suspect you’ll also be able to ride the lower-elevation 44 Road Trails, but someone is going to have to confirm that for me.
The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear. Temira approves. Click to join.
Events – email me if I’ve missed any outdoor-related events
The big news today is that Meadows will be open for a “preview weekend” this Saturday and Sunday 9am-4pm with Buttercup, Easy Rider, the Carpet and Shipyard Park. They do not have plans to operate Monday-Thursday, and operations for the holiday weekend depend on Mother Nature’s whims.
Speaking of Mother Nature’s whims, my favorite thing in the Gorge is frozen waterfalls, and we may just see some of that by tomorrow afternoon.
In other news, you can play pickup rugby tonight at Henkle Middle School at 3:30, and the HRATS have a board of directors meeting at the Hood River Fire Station at 5:30. Should you be interested in being on the board, there will be an election soon.
If you’re interested in serving on the Hood River County Recreation Trails Committee, there are three positions open to application: Moto, Citizen, and Hiker/Runner. Applications are due on December 13th.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira