It's a happy day when I can tell all of you that we'll be doing some windsurfing in the very near future. =)
Marine air made a stealth move overnight, sneaking up the unguarded Columbia River and making its presence known in Portland. Although no marine deck shows on the radar picture, evidence, in the form of little fluffy clouds clinging along the shores of the Columbia west of Portland, proves that marine air made progress last night. (Those clouds to the east of HR this morning, btw, are not marine clouds. They are the beginnings of thunderstorms caused by surface air lifting. Cross your fingers that they go away) Because of the marine layer's overnight courage, we're already seeing a .08 gradient, something I hadn't expected to see until this evening. During the day, desert towns and Portland play heating joust, but the game is rigged; the desert's going to win today, especially this afternoon, as increased marine air knocks Portland off its high temp horse. Look for winds in the 15-18 range until 3ish, when whitecaps increase and light-wind sailors rig down. Gorge winds, done cheering the jousting match, come out to play.We'll see a quick ramp up into the 22-26 range this evening. If the bulk of the marine push happens earlier, winds will climb out of the basement earlier. Upper level flow is southerly, and this tends to favor Mosier, the Hook, and the Doug's/Rowena section of the river, as well as Avery (where you can sail to the island and skip rocks 'til your heart's content).
Overnight, winds refuse to stop, waking small children, frightening dogs, and disturbing the sleep of local wind addicts, as well as messing up the hairdos of anyone not using an entire bottle of Aquanet for hold.
We'll start the day with Dawn Patrol of 22-25, continue with 24-28, and finish off with delicious dessert (cookies? peach cobbler?) of 28+ from Doug's to Arlington starting in mid-afternoon. Why? Portland's going to suffer tomorrow, possibly seeing rain by afternoon. Desert dwellers suffer as well, baking (no, not cookies) in 95 degree heat. Corrin suffers because I'm going to wind clause her (just kidding gal! I'll find a way!) Everyone suffers except poleboarders and tangleboarders.
If you're not exhausted, sore, and beat up from Friday, Saturday brings one more chance for you to achieve that state. Weaker pressure gradients and weaker temperature differentials lead to winds in the 15-20 range. MM5 predicts 10-15, but as of now, I think conditions will remain sailable, if not exciting.
Coast winds weaken for a day on Friday, but otherwise remain in the 20+ range. Pistol keeps firing through the weekend.
Mountain biking trails stay dusty.
Wakeboarding conditions go down the tube.
I've got to go to work. Stop keeping me here, you silly sailors!
Have a great day on the water today! I'm going to Rowena this evening, as I'm cleaning houses in Mosier today.
Cookies?
Print | posted @ Thursday, August 02, 2007 7:31 AM