Wind Recession for The Gorge?

[windfind]

If you are wondering why the Gorge winds have been so light recently take a look at the May 30th satellite view of the main culprit below. I have added arrows to help you visualize the counter-clockwise spinning winds of what meteorologist call a Cut-Off Low.

Normally low pressure systems are carried towards the west coast by upper level winds and promptly exit to the east. But Cut-Off Lows like this one have lost their connection with the west to east blowing upper level winds. So they just wobble around in the pacific like this one has for many days. Unfortunately this Cut-Off Low is positioned so that it has been keeping the North Pacific High about 1000 miles west of the coast for many days. As you know having the North Pacific High off our coast is one of the essential components for making Gorge summer winds.

Currently this Cut-Off Low is slowly crashing into the far northern California coast and is harder to discern in the satellite imagery. But looking out your window you can see some of the clouds from the low.

Unfortunately it looks like the remains of the Cut-Off Low will not clear the Gorge until this weekend. Once it departs the North Pacific High slowly begins to redeploy near the west coast and the winds ramp up.

Since Cut-Off Lows are cut off from the jet-stream the numerical models do a poor job of forecasting their fate. Hence Cut-Off Lows are useful in providing meteorologists a convenient explanation for bad forecasts.

If you go the the California weather blog page,

http://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=163&genID=230

and and scroll down there is more imagery showing this Cut-Off Low.

Have fun,
Mike Godsey
mike@iwindsurf.com[/url]

[rowenaman]

[CUSalin]

Good explaination Mike. Nice pics too!

Signed,

Fellow Weather Geek

[jimoakes]

Wind recession? It's a crisis ,nearly a depression.

It all started when sailors bought boards ,slapped on a little ding stick and paint and "flipped" them for 50% more than they paid!

The worst was when Mistral, Starboard,JP and Cobra all conspired and offered no money down deals to all the homeless sailors. Deals like that had van living sailors rolling in big bucks for awhile.

I don't know when it's going to turn around. I see no end in sight. If it doesn't blow soon it could effect Gorge real estate prices . Who would want to live in this desolate ugly and now WINDLESS area?

[CUSalin]

I dunno. I've often heard tourismos walking through town saying that Hood River would be a pretty nice place if it weren't so darn windy!

[rigatoni]

Best I can tell, you guys have been getting some nice weather through this wind drought. Be happy for that.

Here in San Francisco, the lack of wind has been complimented by the fact that we hadn't seen the sun in weeks due to persistent fog.

[isobars]

We EXPECT great weather in the spring, but the dearth of wind, although common this time of odd-numbered years (no kidding, according to a bud's WS log), is irritating.

Mike \m/

[CUSalin]

I'm going to write my congressman... it's supposed to windy around here dammit and I just re-fied my house on an adjustable rate mortgage I can't afford to buy a new van, new sail quiver, and two new boards.

What the H - E - double toothpicks does wind have to do with "leadership," and "attitude?" Ha!

[billgfc]

nah you beach sit alot when your biggest sail is a 4.5

get the right equipment and sail almost daily.

the best sailors in the Gorge do as do those who truly love the sport from beginner to pro:)

it s about being on the water from breeze to high winds

That s core and always will be

[CUSalin]

Right on Dude(s), I totally agree... but... but....

IT'S NOT WIIIIINDEEEEEEE!

Doug's Beach * 1 WSW (0-4) Last 7 Next 7 6:00 PM
Event Site * 1 W (1-3) Last 7 Next 7 6:06 PM
Rowena * 1 WNW (0-3)

I'm still going to write my congressman, he's one of the last Republican hold outs and I think he's just pissed at Hood River for voting Obama.