Happy June, everyone!
That was one fantastic weekend! I pulled off a 3 sport day on both Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully you also took advantage of the sunshine and wind and perfect mountain bike trails and visiting tourists (no, I didn't take advantage of the tourists!)...
Today is light wind in the Gorge as the upper level low rotates off the southern Oregon coast. Well, we may see some low to mid teens throughout the day, but that's about the best we'll get.
If you’re a windsurfer or kiter, the words “Upper Level Low” should strike fear into your heart. Low pressure off the coast is the antithesis of the normal Gorge setup. To make things worse, upper flow turns more southerly today, setting off thunderstorms. When I got out of bed at 7:45 this morning (yep, I did the radio report last night, assuming it would be light wind today… not quite right, but very close), there were already convective clouds building over the gorge. I can’t wait to see if we get some big storms later.
Kiters, even if there’s light wind today, and even if you want to make the ghost of Ben Franklin proud, keep the kites out of the air if you see thunderheads building.
Tuesday brings the possibility of 18-22 easterlies at Stevenson and Rooster Rock. Afternoon thunderstorms on Tuesday provide entertainment, if not wind. Keep an eye on your favorite radar and satellite picture for the opportunity to do a little storm chasing!
I’m afraid I don’t have much good wind news for the remainder of the week. The upper level low remains entrenched off the coast. MAKE IT GO AWAY!
Best bet today? Light winds make for great road biking, and road biking is great cross-training!
Boaters, the Hood’s at 5.2 feet, the White Salmon’s at 5.0 feet, the Little White’s at 760 cfs and the Wind River’s at 680 cfs.
Whatever you do today, have an awesome time!