Are you Ready for Spring?

[jssailem]

If you live in the PacificNW there is good WEATHER news, potentially..

From the desk of my friend Rufus comes a weather review that can excite even the most curmudgeonly among us.

"March in like a Lion, out like a lamb"... is the Almanac saying...

Here is the potential good news for those of us who want to play with boats...

Friday March 8​

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We love it when wx models revert back to their earlier projections. Such is the case forming the basis of this forecast. Get your Mug ready, there’s good news.​

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A chilly, damp weekend is upon us, with rain moving in later tonight (north-to-south) and tomorrow. Snow in the mountains, where we like it, and cold showers at the surfaces throughout the weekend. Monday will present another round of rain & subsequent showers. Breezy at times.​

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Beginning Tue Mar 12, clearing will begin from the north, as the start of a much-needed DRY SPELL that is charting to last well over a WEEK! Indeed. Temperatures will also be mild-to-warm, notching up a few degrees throughout the period. People, plants, animals, and well, whatever, will all be exuberant. The dry period will last long enough to allow soils to dry-down for growers & gardeners to work the land in prep for plantings, fertilizing, etc. Early Spring blossoms will explode with color; trees will leaf-out; lawns will get mowed. Coats put away. Alright, admittedly, your host is getting a bit too carried away. It is justified, if the models verify. ​

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Key Point: after Tue Mar 12, the dry pattern should extend past the first day of Spring (Wed Mar 20) and hold into Fri Mar 22. Temps will work into the high 50s, then the 60s, and possibly the low 70s, esp southern OR.​

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St Patrick’s Day is now trending dry & pleasantly warm. All the green will be spring growth. Naturally.​

The weekend of Mar 23,24 is trending wet, with mild temperatures.​

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We all know these wx outlooks are subject to change, but for now, let’s be ready for an exuberant start to Spring 2024.​

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“Happiness is like your shadow. Run after it and you will never catch it, but keep your face to the sun and it will follow you.” ​

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-Rufus​

 

[Tally Ho]

I wish it were spring and launch time already….

Here in the Chicago area we had 70F temps last week…then down in the 30’s and 40’s. Not freezing overnight generally. trees are budding out, grass is greening and some early bulb flowers are poking up…somholefully the
warm-ish temps are here to stay… pouring rain today.

I usually launch Tally Ho on April 1 (or as close to it as I could) when the marina opens. Not very good sailing usually, but I wanted to get the boat in, get sails bent on, and in general, get her ready for nice sailing days. The season is pretty short here, so getting in April 1 and hauling out October 31 when the marina closes made me felt,like I was getting all I could out of the sailing season here. I was still working, so generally got to sail on weekends (and maybe Wednesday nights after work).

This year through, I will be able sail every day because I am retired! I am so looking forward to that. Instead of launching at the beginning of April, wife and I are headed to Florida for a few weeks to visit friends, check out condos on both coasts, etc. Then we are headed to Vermont and Canada for some family events in April… So I don’t plan to launch Tally Ho until late April or early May.

She doesn’t need too much work before splashing, but I do need to apply a fresh coat of VC17 bottom paint, and she could use a wash and wax…but that will only get done if they turn the water on at the marina before I launch.

So, am I ready….almost!

Greg

 

[Siamese]

Oh, I'm ready for it, for all the good that does.

Will be selling my 2014 Catalina 315 that I've had for the past four years or so. I've kept it well maintained and it wants for nothing, so it'll just be a matter of removing it's winter cover (Michigan), and doing the obvious cleaning and organizing, and then listing it.

And, I'm excited about the new boat I purchased that's currently 7 hours away near St. Louis, MO. A 2007 Catalina Capri 22. That's a serious downgrade, but we mostly daysail with only the occasional short trip up or down the West Michigan coast. It'll go in our condo slip in Muskegon.

The Capri sits on a trailer, and has the fin keel, tall rig, and launching and storage will be handled by the marina. It is FILTHY. The woman I bought it from got it in her divorce 4 years ago, and just put it in storage. Didn't even wash it prior to putting it up for sail. The entire deck is covered with a gray/green combination of dirt and organic something. By covered, I mean every square inch, so that the only way to discover the condition of the gelcoat was to soak a rag and reveal the gelcoat in small areas.

On the plus side, it appears to have little use, and the bottom has never been painted. Bonus....I don't have to worry about bottom paint compatibility and can prep it for a coat or two of VC17.

So, extensive cleanup, compound & polish, replace all the running rigging and so on. Looking forward to the transformation.

Also looking forward to a lot less maintenance in my future along with easier single handed sailing.

That's what spring has in store.

 

[RussC]

I am SO ready. And as a lake sailer the excitement is really starting to build locally that our premier sailing lake is expected to be filled for the first time in over 5 years. there are other lakes in the area, but Howard Prairie is likely the most consistent daily sailing conditions in this part of the state, if not much of the West coast. in addition to that, after many years of searching for funds the brand new low water mooring docks look to be finished this season just in time also. as posted in the local newsletter this month:

Howard Prairie Marina Project Update - March 7, 2024 Jackson County Parks reports that the finger docks that will comprise the moorage slips are currently under construction and are scheduled to be installed in the mid-April to mid-May 2024 timeframe. Completion of this phase of the project will allow for up to 130 moorage slips for use this summer.

Howard Prairie Lake Level Update The lake is currently at 40% of capacity as of this publishing, with currently about 42 cfs being drawn from the lake down to Emigrant. Word is that the canal will be shut off for up to two weeks in order to complete routine maintenance on the Green Springs Powerplant. Below is a current graph of the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) at the Billie Creek Divide Snotel, which is a key measurement location for runoff into Howard Prairie. The SWE is currently nearly 155% (red arrow) of the median (green arrow). Past history during years with this much snow has indicated robust runoff into Howard Prairie and will likely add 12-15' to the current lake level of 4503'. A lake level of 4515-4518' will give a full season for all recreational boaters, including keelboats! We will know more for certain in 6 weeks or so, but it is looking so promising!

 

[jssailem]

Here is your Monday Morning Update for MARCH 2024

Rufus continues to paint a rosy picture for the middle of March. Get you sun glasses and sun screen out of the drawer marked (Open next Summer). The next 10 days look SUNNY promising. Just in time for the week before spring break. It makes the kids in school go crazy. Teachers get frustrated trying to complete the required curriculum before the break. And now the evenings have an hour more of daylight.

Come-on sunny days…

Monday March 11​

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That’s right, an extended mild-to-warm dry weather pattern is almost here. We are ready. You?​

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Chilly, wet & windy pattern will move in today and hold on through Tue. Then — dry, sunny days will begin by Wednesday, with warming on into the coming weekend. Our much anticipated dry cycle will bless the PNW with some of the warmest temperatures since last fall. The weekend could present temps in the upper 60s to low 70s all the way up & down the PNW. A blessed St Patrick’s Day, for sure.​

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Next week will continue to be dry, with a cool down possible by mid-week, lasting through Fri Mar 22. There will be a cold Low moving south off the coast of OR & WA, which will push a few clouds inland and cool temps down. Right now, we do not see drenching rain issues during the weekend of Mar 23,24, but the dry pattern will begin to break down that weekend.​

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Models hint at a return to BELOW normal temperatures and rain/showers/mountain snow as the last several days of March arrive. Will this verify? Will March end like a Lion (just like it started) and not a Lamb? For now, plan on wet weather returning after the 24th and hope a change for the better will take place instead. Time to work the land and set up those garden plots.​

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In the meantime, take full advantage of an amazing stretch of delightful weather coming to a sky near you starting Wednesday March 13.​

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“It’s not the coffee that keeps people awake these days, but the price of it."​

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-Rufus​

 

[WayneH]

Here in the Texas Hill Country, we've gone from winter to summer with no sign of spring this year. 30's to mid 80's and back to 40's. Spring is just a glimmer in our eyes.

 

[jssailem]

WELL March weather ended with a glorious sunny day. Church celebrations. Easter egg hunts… A little garden cleanup.. and a sip of Pinot Noir on the lawn in the late afternoon sunshine.

Well savior the experience you NW Sailors. April Fools day brings surprises.

Wednesday looks like the beginning of a cold wet week slowing our spring boat work.

Here are Rufus’s thoughts.

Monday - April Fool’s Day - 2024​

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Chilly temperatures return soon, essentially stopping pleasant outdoor activities, gardening, farming. How long will the chill last? Let’s take a peek.​

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Enjoy the next two days, Mon & Tue Apr 1,2. Temperatures will be warmer than the weekend, with Tue highs likely to tease into the low 70s ijn many west side locations, esp western OR & SW WA. Light breezes. Fortunately, added daylight hours will give everyone the chance to continue the enjoyment of being outside in the great PNW. That chances overnight Tue.​

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A cold front will move into the PNW, and on down to CA, by Wed Apr 3. Around the region here will be some rain & showers - generally less than 1/4” total at valley levels, and another shot of fairly low elevation SNOWFALL. Coastal hills & Cascades foothills down to 500 ft could get a dusting of The White. The main frontal energy of the April Chill will shift south into CA, so Patrons there will chill down, as well, and get more rainfall & Sierra snow. For the PNW, the risk for a FROST pops up Fri morning, Apr 5, if the sky clears in your area. Protect sensitive plants and seedlings. Friday may end up mostly dry & chilly.​

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The coming weekend (Apr 6,7) looks chilly with showers likely on Saturday. Sunday may mirror Friday’s wx, including the risk for morning frost. ​

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No Joke. All indications are for a return to dry & WARM wx beginning Mon Apr 8. Clouds and a few showers may remain over NW WA & southern BC on the 8th, but the rest of the PNW will turn sunny & mild. Wed & Thu, Apr 10-11, are trending the warmest of the week, with temps into the low 70s possible. Tad cooler on Fri Apr 12; Sat too. NO RAIN on the charts for the 9th through Sat the 13th.​

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Long-range charts suggest a Low will move into northern CA on Sunday Apr 14, with moisture spinning into southern OR as far north as Eugene. This type of pattern often leads to thunderstorms. We’ll see. Still, dry & mild on Sun Apr 14 from Eugene north into BC. Great pollination weather for tree fruits. Honey up, bees!​

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The week of Apr 15 - 19 is trending dry Mon, then turning WET Tue through Thu the 18th. Temperatures will remain mild.​

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“No matter what scales we use, we can never know the weight of another person’s burden."​

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-Rufus​