Random Morning Thoughts
As humans, we seem to be genetically programmed to love fire. When we’re kids, we play with it like it’s a toy. All through our lives, we get lost staring at in campfires. But the Rowena Fire is another story, and I felt sick to my stomach this morning reading the updates on theRowena Fire Facebook page. I don’t know that there’s much we can do at this point other than hope, but there’s more we can do in the future. People, get prepared to open your pocketbooks and help the folks affected by this fire. In the meantime, I’m trying to find out where folks can drop off donations of cash or goods. Stay tuned.
Thank you for your donations during the Summer 2014 Pledge Drive!!!
Thanks to all of you for your support over the last month. You guys have shown me an incredible amount of support and love and appreciation, and I’m humbled and grateful, and my bikes will stay repaired for the rest of the year. And I’ll stay caffeinated and able to forecast almost every day. You guys rock. New to this forecast? Use it here for free or make a donation and get on the mailing list for wind for the summer and Mt. Hood snow in the winter. It’s not $99/year. Not $50/year. No, just $12.34 or more gets you on the list for 12 months. Do it via PayPal/CC by clicking on my photo. Don’t PayPal? You can send a check to Temira @ PO Box 841 in Hood River. Thank you for your support, and thank you for trusting my forecast. You guys mean the world to me.
Gorge Wind
Gradients are down this morning from where they’ve been the last couple of days, so we’re going to see a touch less wind, which might not be a bad thing if you were among the many, many people who got blown off the water yesterday. I remembered my 2.9, unlike the day before, and I used it. At 7am, we were at .11 (pdx-dls) and .05 (dls-psc), suggesting that it will be windy everywhere from Cascade Locks to Rufus today.
Wind speeds are in the teens through the whole Gorge this morning, but the wind will back off east of The Dalles and pick up near Hood River this morning. Expect westerlies at 22-25 by mid-morning from Stevenson to Mosier, with 15-18 from Mosier to The Dalles and less further east. By mid-afternoon, the wind will pick up to 26-30 from Swell City to The Dalles, with 22-25 at Cascade Locks and Rufus and 15-18 further east.
Tomorrow looks a touch less windy, with 16-19 to start from Swell City to The Dalles. By late morning, the wind will rise to 21-24 from Cascade Locks to The Dalles, and then by mid-afternoon, we’ll see 24-27 from Swell City to The Dalles with 21-24 at Stevenson and the Maryhill stretch of the river.
Yesterday I said it would be pretty windy on the weekend. Here’s why I don’t like doing long-range forecasts. The models have changed drastically since yesterday. Now they are predicting a light start on Saturday with 15-18 in the afternoon and the possibility of light east wind on Sunday. Given the overall weather setup, I suspect we’ll see westerlies of some sort both days – I think the easterlies will disappear from the models as we get closer to Sunday.
| Your favorite beach | Dawn Patrol |
9am- 11:30a |
11:30a- 3pm |
3pm- dusk |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster’s Rocks | tan lines: | thumbs up | or | thumbs down? |
|
| Steven’s Locks | 10-14 | 15-18 | 20-23 | 22-25 | |
| Hatchery/White Salmon Sandbar (minus a few for Hood River) | 18-22 | 22-25 | 24-27 | 22-25 | |
| Doug’s, etc. | 12-15 | 20-23 | 24-28 | 26-30 | |
| Rufus, etc. | 12-15 | 12-15 | 26-30 | 26-30 | |
| Roosevelt, etc. | 10-15 | 10-15 | 15-18 | 18-22 | |
| Temira’s sail: 35-40: 2.9 / 30-35: 3.2 / 26-30: 3.5 23-26: 4.0 / 20-23: 4.5 less than 20: something bigger! |
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| Tonia’s kite: 35-40: 4m / 30-35: 4-6m / 26-30: 5-7m 23-26: 7-9m / 20-23: 8-10 / 15-20: 10-12 / 10-15: 13-15. |
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Advertising Worth Reading
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Gorge Weather
Today looks sunny. Temps will be in the mid 60’s early and the upper 70’s in the afternoon. Tomorrow starts with temps in the low 60’s with upper 70’s in the afternoon. Saturday looks a touch warmer, with temps in the low 60’s early and low 80’s in the afternoon.
White Sprinter Van of the Day
 
Road and Mountain Biking
All trails except Hospital Hill and Whoopdee are open. Those two are closed due to extreme fire danger. In addition, the Rowena Fire has Highway 30 closed east of Mosier, so you cannot bike to Rowena Crest.
The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear.
Temira approves. Click to join.
River Levels / Cheezburger update
The John Day Dam is reading 97-132kcfs. The Dalles Dam is reading 139kcfs. The White Salmon is around 2.2′, and Cheezburger, a guide at Wet Planet, would love to take you rafting if you request him.
Columbia river temp is 70 degrees at The Dalles Dam.
Events – email me if I’ve missed any outdoor-related events
If you’re in Cascade Locks today or tomorrow, swing by the marina and check out the Hobiecat and Wildcat North American sailing championships.
Later today, there’s a free women’s learn to Kite Happy hour at Big Winds at 5. Also tonight, there’s the post n’ pint mountain bike ride at Dirty Fingers. There’s also a women’s road bike ride at the Dalles City Cyclery tonight at 5:30, and there’s community yoga, free or by donation, at Yoga Samadhi in White Salmon at 6:30.
If you’ve always wanted to try windsurfing, Big Winds has a free womens’ intro to windsurfing clinic tomorrow morning at 9. Coming up this weekend, there’s windsurf races at the Event Site on Saturday and there’s a free Big Winds intro to SUP class at 9am on Sunday at the Event Site.
Then it’s downwind glory all weekend: surfskis and outriggers racing from Stevenson to Bingen in the Wildside Relay either Saturday or Sunday, sailboats racing on Saturday from Cascade Locks to The Dalles in the Double Damned on Saturday, and kiters and windsurfer going from Stevenson to Hood River on Sunday in the Bridge of the Gods Kitefest Blowout.
Also tomorrow night, The Croods plays outdoors on the big screen at Cascade Locks and on Saturday night, We Are Marshall plays on the big screen at Jackson Park in Hood River.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
