The Gorge Is My Gym

MT HOOD WEATHER FORECAST

Hey skiers and snowboarders! That was a fun stretch of cold, crisp, sunny Mt. Hood weather, and now it’s time to dive back into the kind of winter that adds to the snowpack. As you’re well aware, that kind of winter will affect the metro area too, so plan accordingly. We’ll see light snowfall the next couple of days followed by heavier snowfall Saturday night into Monday. Models still think we’ll add 18-24” or more to the snowpack by Monday evening. Yay! Snow conditions now: hardpack. Incoming: powder.

Thursday kicks off high overcast, cold, and dry on the mountain. Snow conditions: hardpack groom and skier-packed powder off the groom. Wax: turquoise was right yesterday. Blue is probably the call today. Alpine folks: cold wax or a mix of cold and extra cold of some sort. The snow level today will be 0′ all day long with temps on the slopes at 5-10 degrees this morning, teens this afternoon, and mid 20s overnight. About 0.1” to 0.2” water equivalent (WE) is forecast during the day for a couple inches of new snow. Overnight, another 0.3” WE is forecast for about 3” more. Wind will be SE 35 this morning (could affect lifts at T-Line), SW 10-20 this afternoon (no problems there), and W 15-20 after midnight.

More snow is forecast on Friday. The snow level will be 0′ in the morning, 1000′ in the afternoon, and 1000-1500′ after midnight. Temps will be near 20F all day. About 0.4” WE is forecast during the day with a lessening of snowfall late morning before a resurgence in the afternoon. I’d say that’s about 4-5” decent powder, but with nuking wind in the cards, we could see 5-7”. Overnight, just a trace is forecast, but with strong NW wind continuing, we could see a few inches. Wind will be problematic. The deterministic GFS has W 15-20 early, NW 40 midday (that’ll shut down Meadows and likely T-Line with problems possible at Skibowl too), W 40 mid-afternoon (might get some lifts back then) and NW 35 for night skiing (again, that’s likely to shut down Meadows due to the direction). That’s Mt. Hood storm skiing for you!

Saturday kicks off clear. Snowfall returns in the afternoon. The snow level per the sounding models will be 500′ in the morning, 1000′ in the afternoon, and 0′ overnight, but temps will be much warmer than that makes it sound: 20F in the morning, upper 20s to 30F in the afternoon, and right around freezing overnight. After a sunny start, snow arrives in the afternoon. Prior to 4pm, just a trace is forecast. Overnight, 0.4” to 0.5” WE of dense snow is in the cards. Call it 3-5”. Wind: NW 25-30 early, SW 10 in the afternoon, SW 20-30 in the evening, and WSW 30-35 overnight.

Heavy snow is forecast Sunday into Monday with over a foot forecast in that 24 hour period. Temps at 5000′ hover in the upper 20s to low 30s. Temps drop a bit on Monday and snow continues. That’s all for now. Have a great day on the snow!

GORGE WIND FORECAST

Hi friends! Nuking east wind sticks around today. That’s followed by early easterlies on Friday with a darn good shot at enough west wind and warm enough temps to get you on the river. Easterlies return on Saturday and stick around through the weekend. For Thursday, Iwash starts with 55mph and drops to 50mph. Stevenson starts with 30mph and rises to 35mph. Viento: 24mph in case you were wondering. To the east of Viento, most places are reading around 10-15mph out of the east. Overnight, the wind will drop some. River flow over the last 24 hours was 101-142kcfs, river temp is 38.12F, and high temp forecast is 27F with light snowfall. It’s too cold, people! Don’t do it!

Friday kicks off with lingering easterlies: 35mph at Iwash and 20mph at Stevenson. As a low moves inland and a front swings through and high pressure builds offshore, westerlies rise. Call it late morning or early afternoon. There’s a lot of range in how much wind the ensembles think we’ll see, but 20+ sees reasonable at the Hatch with some potential for quite a bit more. This is also a decent setup for Rufus, and models are hinting at mid to upper 20s there. High temp: 35F with snow in the morning, snain showers in the afternoon, and sun east of The Dalles. Saturday kicks off with light westerlies prior to dawn, but then the wind turns calm. Easterlies build in the afternoon and land at 25mph at Iwash and 15mph at Stevenson. High temp: 38F, perhaps with mostly cloudy sky and rain/snain/snow in the afternoon. Stay safe out there, people!

BARE BONES HOOD RIVER WEATHER FORECAST

Clouds this morning give way to light snowfall late morning. 1-3” today. Temps start in the upper teens and rise to the upper 20s. Moderate easterlies. No rainbows. Friday will be snowy with snain/showers possible in the afternoon. Temps start in the low 20s and rise to the mid 30s. Light easterlies early. Moderate to strong westerlies later. 89% chance of rainbows. Saturday will be cloudy then probably snowy but potentially rainy/snainy. Temps start in the upper 20s and rise to the upper 30s. Light westerlies early. Light easterlies later. 19% chance of rainbows.