Gorge Wind Forecast
If you’re obsessed with high-wind kiting or windsurfing, today might just be the rest day you’ve been looking for. A trough of low pressure is moving in along the coast, and a ridge of high pressure is way out over the Rockies. In addition, you can see from the high clouds that we’re being impacted by a weak weather system, and that almost always tends to knock the speeds down from what you might associate with a given pressure gradient. On the plus side, the air is cooler to the west of us, and the desert to the east of us is hosting a heat low. So…
We’ll start the day with a .09 (pdx-dls) gradient and wind in the upper teens from Viento to the Hatchery. We’ll see 16-19 or so through late morning from Viento to the Hatchery, with Hood River and Mosier likely joining in. After noon or so, things should stabilize a bit and the clouds should burn off in the western Gorge. As that happens, we’ll see the wind pick up to 20-23 from Cascade Locks to Doug’s. Further east, the wind will likely stay in the 9-12 range today, although it’s possible we’ll see Rufus join in with 20-23. River flow is quite low today: 126kcfs. River temp is 65 degrees, currently warmer than the air.
(continued after the chart)
| Your favorite beach | Dawn Patrol |
9am- 11:30a |
11:30a- 3pm |
3pm- dusk |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster Rock | fireworks | above | buns | below! | |
| Steven’s Locks | 5-10 | 5-10 | 16-19 | 20-23 | |
| Hatchery/Wunderbar | 16-19 | 16-19 | 20-23 | 20-23 | |
| Doug’s, Lyle, Rowena | 10-15 | 7-10 | 13-16 | 20-23 | |
| Rufus, etc. | 5-10 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 10-15+? | |
| Roosevelt, etc. | 5-10 | 5-10 | 5-10 | 5-10 | |
Gorge Wind Forecast, continued.
Looking at Wednesday, the atmosphere will be less stable, especially early in the morning and mid-afternoon. That’s going to impact wind quality and strength. Given the fact that gradients will be pretty weak tomorrow anyway, the impact won’t be huge. Expect 7-10 for the morning hours from Cascade Locks to Swell, perhaps to Hood River. In the afternoon, we’ll have gusty 16-19 from Cascade Locks to The Dalles, or perhaps just to Mosier. All bets are off in the possbile-but-unlikely event that a thunderstorm fires up over the Cascades.
Thursday looks like a better, more reliable wind setup. Weak high pressure offshore combines with a trough of low pressure along the coast to send more marine clouds into the metro area. In addition, a thermal low will set up in the desert, enhancing the pressure gradient (and, incidentally, suppressing the afternoon wind in the far-east Gorge). We’ll start the day with 22-25 from Swell to Mosier with 14-17 further east. The eastern Gorge wind will die off pretty quickly, and the Stevenson-to-Doug’s stretch will pick up to 24-27. Friday currently looks like 25-29, and the long-range-not-reliable forecast shows wind both days next weekend.
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Jones, Sauvie’s, Coast Beta Test Forecast
Jones Tuesday: 15-18. Wednesday: 13-16. Thursday: 24-27. Sauvie’s Tuesday: 12-15 late. Wednesday: 12-15 late. Thursday: 5-10. Coast (north/central/south). Tuesday: 20-25/20-25/no, NW swell 4′ @ 9 seconds. Wednesday: 10-15/no/no, W 4′ @ 9. Thursday: 10-15/10-15/10-15, W 3′ @ 9.
Mt. Hood Snow Forecast
The Mt. Hood snow forecast is currently on vacation. It will stay on vacation until I deem it to be close enough to winter that we need a Mt. Hood snow forecast. Be safe out there on the snow this summer!
Random Morning Thoughts
Our natural tendency as humans protective of our own survival is to be suspicious of others. We protect ourselves by saving our most open and genuine and loving expression of who we are for those we trust.
The irony of this is that by closing ourselves off to others, we set off their (often unconscious) alarm bells. This causes others to be suspicious of us, less loving and free than they would be with people they trust.
Many of you will be saying, “Well, duh. I don’t want to get hurt!” in response to this. Of course! But if there’s one thing I’ve noticed over all the years of personal work I’ve done, it’s this: the friendlier and more open and more genuine I am towards others, the friendlier and more open and genuine they are towards me. My social network is bigger, my friends are more numerous, and people smile when they see me. I feel very, very grateful for this.
Give it a shot next time you meet someone in a low-risk situation. Be you. Love the other person, even though you don’t know them. Really, what’s the worst that could happen? Have an awesome day!
Disclaimer required by my grad school program: I am not your therapist (but I could be 27 graduate school credits from now). I am your weather forecaster. Take everything I say with a grain of salt, and consult with your actual therapist about your mental health issues. One other thing: I plan to keep doing this forecast indefinitely, even when I am a therapist.
Gorge Weather Forecast
There are some high clouds overhead this morning as a weak weather system moves in from the SW. The sky should be clear midday with another chance of high clouds tonight. Temps will be near 60 ealry and in the mid 80’s this afternoon. Light to moderate wind. No rainbows. Wednesday looks sunny early with high clouds later and a slight chance of a thunderhead or two in the evening. Temps will be near 60 early and near 90 in the afternoon. Light wind. .05% chance of rainbows. Thursday might see a few low clouds in the morning with sunshine for the rest of the day. Temps will be near 60 early and near 90 (maybe?) in the afternoon. Moderate west wind. No rainbows.
For weather specifically directed at travel through the Gorge, please visit Temira’s Awesome Travel Advisory Service on Facebook.
White Sprinter Van of the Day
Road and Mountain Biking
I received a report yesterday that all the trees have been cleared from Falls Creek. That does not mean that more trees haven’t fallen down, so still ride with caution. Apparently the riding is quite good in Oakridge right now, but the fallen trees are much bigger there. Road biking should be good today with lighter wind than we’ve seen in a while. Just avoid the parade route in Hood River.
Upcoming Events
There are a couple of extra community events happening today. The first is the 42nd annual Kollas Kranmer run from Hood River to Odell. The second is the hero’s challenge cyling and running race happening in Washougal. Tonight’s big event, of course, is the fireworks in Hood River on the waterfront, where the sandbar has finally emerged from the high water this spring. There’s also meditation at Samadhi tonight with the monks from Pacific Hermitage. Tonight there is a special guest monk visiting from Thailand.
Tomorrow night is ladies kite and windsurf night at the Hood River Event Site starting at 5. Also tomorrow night: ping pong at the Hood River Armory at 5:30, by-donation yoga at Samadhi at 6, Zumba at St. Francis House in Odell at 6:30, and YogaFaith at Pure Yoga in The Dalles at 6:45.
Looking ahead to this weekend, the Lser Masters Sailboat Championships is happening in Cascade locks. On Saturday, Big Winds has a free ebike demo happening from 10 to 5.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
