Wind Compass #’s to look for at Rufus

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1871 Posts XTreme Poster

I can not remember if good wind is a compass reading under 240, or 230 for Rufus, and which station, Maryhill, or Market 41?

Thanks
Eric

bigjohn · Since 13 Mar 2012 664 Posts Addicted

Eric,

Everybody always talks about the gusty North winds at Rufus. I've probably heard a dozen different theories about when to go and when not to go. Some look at wind mills, others look at the John Day dam meter.

My experience is that sometimes it's down right gusty when the direction says it should be good, and other times it's smooth yet the wind is hiting your kite from almost straight North.

Up river vs down river can make quite a difference as well.

My theory is there is a mixture of different elements at Rufus. You have an upper system that usually comes from SW towards NE feeding from the big wide mouth starting at the deschutes getting compressed into into the skinny wind tunnel of the Gorge by the wall. This creates a lot of competing wind flows since it is an upper cross wind feeding into the wind tunnel.

Sometimes these flows align for smooth wind. Other times they don't. Sometimes they generate great swell, other times they don't.

Sometimes you are out kiting and it's gusty as heck. You go back and check the meter by the wall and it reflects butter smooth wind. Or vice versa.

Sometimes one side of the river has a completely different wind angle than the other side of the river. Sometimes you can feel the competing wind directions in the middle of the river as your kite dances around.

My recommendation is if the wind is blowing put up a kite. If it's too gusty, come in.

Sella · Fri Oct 04, 19 12:26 pm

bigjohn · Since 13 Mar 2012 664 Posts Addicted

I look at the computer models.

Today's models say it should be windy, gusty, and eventually sunny. Sounds like one heck of a fun fall kite day!!!

Kmun · Since 05 Jul 2009 272 Posts Obsessed

Big John: Will you share the address/location of that Computer Model Graph?

bigjohn · Since 13 Mar 2012 664 Posts Addicted

Kmun · Since 05 Jul 2009 272 Posts Obsessed

Influence on clean Rufus wind
a) South Deshutes drainage (winds from the south) or
b) The Hwy 97 canyon grade

Bad omens:
If Maryhill Park is reading greater wind speeds than Marker 40 expect volatile winds at Rufus.
-A northerly cant at bluff altitude funnel down the canyon of (Hwy 97) North of the Park.
-Southerly cants however deliver the better Ruffus winds.
-Head-fake: I've seen very southerly winds register on the windmills as if it is a Northerly on the hills.

A very North direction "warning" is most evident on the North-South segment of the Columbia at the confluence of Deshutes and Columbia and similar (North-South) segment in the river from Dougs to The Dalles.

Inflictor · Since 17 Aug 2013 151 Posts Stoked

The Big Guy is into it and we talk alot. You're getting closer to figuring it out, all you need to pay attention to, is the flag at the Bigg's junction grain silos. The more it aligns parallel with the road, the better it will be at Rufus regardless of the Wall marker reading which is 2 miles upwind, and the others are not at the surface. All of those wind meters you guys look at will sometimes be a good indicator and sometimes not. THEY ARE NOT AT RUFUS. Review the Bernoulli principle as it pertains to the Venturi effect, due to the localized thermodynamics of that corridor, and you might start understanding it. If the flag's not right but flapping well, punch it further east or go back to Doug's. That's why we need a safe launch at DOUGS!
Theories are like buttholes, everyone has one and they sometimes spew shit, even on the guy who spewed it! I'm trying to make that not me by using science and personal observations over time to draw conclusions. Its called the scientific method and wind is science.
Inflictor Out