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Local Knowledge?
Though Fern Ridge is known for it's often fluky and unpredictable
winds, there are three major wind patterns. Common knowledge dictates
that under conditions #1, hang west; under conditions #2, hang south.
1. The clear weather pattern: This is the most predominant
condition in the summer. The wind starts light in the morning and
gets stronger in the afternoon as the sun's warmth fuels the thermals
up the valleys in the hills to the south and west. It normally blows
out of the north from 6-16 knots. One butte lies at the northwest
corner of the lake next to the dam and generates moderate 5-15 degree
wind shifts, which occasionally may reach 30 degrees. The puffs
come from the right, mostly. Late afternoon the wind may back as
it drops in velocity. If there is not dew on the ground in the early
morning, the winds will be gusty. A couple of hours before sunset,
the wind will temporarily pick up, moving to the west or southwest,
and be quite frisky, until the sun touches the horizon, at which
time it veers back north and usually shuts off.
2. The stormy weather pattern: This lasts for a day to a
day and a half and comes from the west at 10-20 knots. Shifts do
occur in this pattern as well, but seem to be more subtle and are
most likely influenced by the thermal downdrafts and channeling
caused by the various small valleys to the west. The shifts range
about 5-10 degrees.
3. The light air pattern: This breeze is created by the
passing of a high pressure cell with a front building off-shore
on the Pacific. In this pattern, the weather system winds are trying
to establish themselves from the south to southeast, but the thermal
north winds fight them. This causes light and shifty winds that
last until either the front comes in and pattern 2 arrives or until
the front dissipates and the first pattern fills in. On rare occasions,
an east wind will come out of this condition. This pattern usually
lasts about 2-3 hours.
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What local knowledge?
These basic rules seem to work,
except when they don't. Just when you think you've got it all figured
out, and you hold the left side of the course longer than anyone
else, someone goes up the right side and makes out like a bandit.
Under conditions #3, anything goes. Luck prevails. Overall, the
winds are delightful and present an added element to the game of
sailing that goes beyond go-fasts and boat speed. A quick and observant
crew can read the wind and capitalize on it to gain boat lengths
on competitors.
The above analysis was first published by Charles Howard for the
1986 S-20 Class Championships in Eugene. They have since been reworked
and revised by Ron Fish, Paul Stephens, and many observant and aspiring
meteorologists. The basic premises, however, still prevail.
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