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The Forecast
| 4a-8a | 8a-12p | 12p-4p | 4p-8p | 8p-4a | |
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| Tuesday 4500′->5500′ |
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| Wednesday 5500′-6000′ |
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| Thursday 5500′->6000′->5000′ |
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Mt. Hood Forecast
Clear weather sticks around for the better part of the next 72 hours. After that, we shift into a different weather pattern: a N/S oriented band of warm moist air (aka atmospheric river) sidles up to the west coast. Model spread for both inland penetration of the front and associated precipitation is vast, so the details of Friday’s weather are not yet clear.
Let’s start with Tuesday: clear sky on the mountain all day long. Some high clouds may move in overnight, but they also may not. Tuesday’s free air freezing level will be 4500′ all day and will rise to 5500′ after midnight. No precip. Wind: SW 10-20 all day. Snow conditions: “crunchy marbles” according to one resort’s website; sounds like the snow warmed yesterday and then frozen again before the groomers could get to it. Let’s call it hardpack.
If those high clouds do arrive Wednesday morning, they’ll set up a colorful sunrise. If not, sunshine is the forecast all day long. The free air freezing level will be 5500′-6000′ all day with slope-side temps rising into the mid/upper 30’s. No precip. Wind: SW 10-20 all day turning to S 10-25 overnight.
Thursday looks sunny in the morning with high clouds in the afternoon and evening. Precip moves in a few hours after midnight (or could be delayed, depending on what this system does). The Free air freezing level will be 5500′ in the morning, 6500-7000′ in the afternoon, and 5000′ overnight. By Thursday, the sun-exposed snowpack should be transitioning from hardpack to corn snow. Fingers crossed! No precip. Wind: S 10-25 all day rising to SW 25-45 overnight.
Looking at Friday, we see some complexities. A warm, N-S oriented, weak-to-moderate atmospheric river lines up along the West Coast. The current run of the GFS suggests the snow level will be 5000′ in the morning, 3500′ in the afternoon, and 2000′ after midnight with moderate SW wind. I feel skeptical about the low snow levels; rather than snow, I’m leaning towards mixed precipitation that transitions to snow. Models do not agree on precipitation amounts. The current operational run of the GFS suggests 0.4” water equivalent in 24 hours, but the ensemble spread is 0.1” to 1.55”. In other words, Friday’s weather is unclear at this point. We’ll keep watching it.
As for the weekend weather, it’s looking cooler with snow flurries. Enjoy the sunshine and the deep snowpack!
Note on wind speeds. Different wind directions are experienced in different ways on Mt. Hood. For example, west wind at 50mph will hit the slopes and exposed ridges at W 50. SW 50 may hit the ridges at SW 50, but will likely only be SW 20 below tree line. Hence the ranges for wind. Depends where you are on the mountain. Hopefully that helps clarify.
Gorge Wind Forecast
Not much wind is on the docket the next few days. For Tuesday, expect W 10-13 through much of the Gorge in the morning. Chances are good for a couple hours of 13-16 this afternoon from Stevenson to The Dalles. River flow is 89,500cfs, river temp is 40F, and high temp forecast is 56F. Wednesday starts calm. There will be a brief early afternoon showing of E 10-15 near Stevenson, but that’s it for wind. High temp: 59F. Thursday looks light and variable. High temp: 59F.
Coast, Jones, Sauvie’s
As needed until next spring and summer.
Hood River Weather Forecast
Clear sky this morning stays that way. Temps will be in the mid 30’s early and mid 50’s later. Light to moderate westerlies. NO rainbows. Wednesday may starts with a few high clouds and a partial nothing, but it will end clear. Temps will be in the mid 30’s early and upper 50’s later. Light and variable wind. No rainbows. Thursday starts with a partial nothing and ends with high clouds. Temps will be in the mid 30’s early and right around 60 in the afternoon. Light and variable wind. No rainbows.
Looking for a complete Columbia Gorge forecast? Looking for more humor in your weather? Obscenities? You’re looking for my TATAS: Temira’s Awesome Travel Advisory Service on Facebook.
Cycling
We are in winter riding season, and the trails are apt to be fragile. If it was below freezing last night and is above freezing now, don’t ride. If it was below freezing last night and it is sunny now, don’t ride unless you are under a tree canopy for the entire ride. Freeze-thaw conditions, when ridden upon, result in permanent trail damage. Please consider doing something else, perhaps riding a gravel road in the trees or going to the mountain. Thank you!
Sprinter Van of the Week!
Click here for the Sprinter Van map of the world!!!
Local Events
Weekly events: The Kainos Coffee run happens in The Dalles every Tuesday morning at 6am. There are sailboat races at the Hood River Marina every Wednesday evening. Dirty Fingers has a group mountain bike ride (bring lights) Wednesday nights at 5:30pm. Cheno has an outdoor HIIT workout at Griffin House in Hood River at 6pm on Wednesday nights. There is a BLM rally every Tuesday evening at 5:30 at the Salmon Fountain in Hood River, and there’s a White Coats for BLM rally every Thursday at noon at 12th and May in Hood River. Have an awesome day!
