Summertime

And the living is easy ... especially if your definition of "easy" is: first, a lot of wind. Then, a mostly windless heat wave this week. Then, cooler temps and a lot of wind after that. Not being a windsurfer or kite boarder, I have mixed feelings about the "lot of wind" part, but I definitely enjoy the occasional heat waves here. For one thing, the wind usually dies down or becomes slightly easterly. Plus, I really like extreme and changeable weather. Plus, we have air conditioning.

Fortunately, for those who don't have air conditioning, heat waves here don't last very long (seldom more than 3 consecutive days) before they break and the west wind comes roaring back.

This week's poll asks whether you check the online gas price websites to find the least expensive gas stations in your area. The site I've found to be the most accurate and mostly up to date is Microsoft's MSN Auto site. When prices are changing rapidly, these sites can lag several days behind, but otherwise are pretty good at showing the lower price stations. Capitalism has its drawbacks, but open information and competition are two of its stronger points. And the Internet has brought both of those aspects front and center.

Hi Low

Well darn if it didn't happen again... another record "high low" temperature this morning. The low only got down to 64 degrees, which broke the old record of 61 degrees set in 1992. That's THREE "high low" records set this June. Global warming? Nah... merely "natural cycles"... stay tuned...

Anyway, most of the forecast models call for a warming trend next week, which might just bring about something that we haven't seen for a few years: a hot dry 4th of July.

The golden zucchini are kicking into high gear; time to get the neighbors and co-workers involved in sharing the harvest.

2 Days of Summer

We get summer-like weather today and tomorrow, and then... summer actually begins Thursday June 21 at 11:06 am. Longest day of the year! Yeehaw...

Unfortunately, the weather then takes a un-summer-like downturn on Thursday thru the weekend (who'd have guessed?). For the most part, weekend downturns have been the rule this Spring (see previous posts). But still.... it's all good... it's all weather.

Lots of great local events happening this summer; check 'em out at the Hood River Chamber site.

And Again

Another "high low" record set today. This morning's low of 65 shattered the old record of 60 degrees set in 1986.

Temperature Record

The past 4 week pattern of cool, cloudy weekend weather followed by sunny warm weekday weather has finally changed. In fact, it was so warm overnight that we set a new record today for the "highest low" temperature for June 2. This morning's low of 62 degrees surpassed the previous "high low" of 59 degrees set in 1968. For folks interested in such things, Hood River's official daily records are here.

The past week presented a classical heat wave event for this area. More often than not, the warm temps move west to east beginning on the Coast, then to the Willamette Valley, then the Mid-Columbia around Hood River, then east to The Dalles, followed by eastern Oregon. And as the heat moves east, the calm to easterly winds change to westerlies and moderate the heat.

Possible thunderstorms Sunday and then the week turns cool, cloudy, and hopefully rainy.

Hood River (specifically our wind sports and housing) made the New York Times...