Here again is this week’s Weather Quiz Question. What provides the energy to drive the Earth’s weather system? Please place your answer as a post after this forecast section. The first person to post the correct answer will win one week of personalized weather forecasts tailored to your needs. Good luck!

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We have been relatively dry because of a high pressure ridge, it pushed the last storm system south into California, but low pressure behind it will return us to wet weather as more frontal systems head our way. We should be happy with our “El Nino” winter that has given us warmer than normal temperatures.

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Advisories:  A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT  FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON COAST. A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON  THROUGH MIDNIGHT TONIGHT FOR THE NORTH OREGON COAST AND FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT FOR THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT FOR ALL OF THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY FROM PORTLAND SOUTH TO EUGENE AND SPRINGFIELD.

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Forecast for the Southern Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis:   Periods of rain likely (60%) today and becoming windy high 56. Rain and windy, winds South 25-35 mph with gusts to 50 mph this evening then decreasing at night, but still breezy  low 40. Mostly cloudy with AM showers Friday then rain in the afternoon high 53 and a good (50%) chance of rain Friday night low 42. Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Saturday and Saturday night high 58 low 40. Showers likely (60%) Sunday and a (40%) chance of showers Sunday night high 55 low 38. Mostly cloudy Monday , Presidents’ Day, with rain likely (60%) and at night  high near 56 low 39. Mostly cloudy Tuesday rain likely (60%) and a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday night high 54 low 42. Mostly cloudy and dry Wednesday high near 60.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:  Rain likely (60%) today high 55. Mostly cloudy with rain tonight and Friday low 42 high 55. Rain likely (60%)  Friday night with a slight (20%) chance Saturday low 45 high near 60 . Cloudy with rain likely (60%) Saturday night low 45.  Mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Sunday and a slight (20%) chance  Sunday night high 60 low 43. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Monday ( Presidents’ Day) and a good (50%) chance Monday night and  Tuesday highs near 60 low 45 . Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Tuesday night with fog late low 46. AM clouds and fog Wednesday then partly cloudy and warmer in the afternoon high near 65.

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend:  Rain and windy today (winds Southwest 25-40 mph at the coast and Southwest 20-30 mph inland) gusts to 50 and even 60 mph possible high 56. Rain and windy at night along the coast (winds Southwest 25-40 then decreasing to South 15-25 mph late at night)  and Southwest 20-30 mph inland decreasing to South 10-20 mph late tonight) low 46. Rain and windy Friday (South winds 20-30 mph gusts to 45 mph until late afternoon) highs 53. Showers likely (60%) and windy Friday night winds South 20-30 mph and inland South 15-25 mph decreasing to  10-15 mph late low 45. A  good (50%) chance of rain and breezy Saturday then rain likely (60%) and breezy Saturday night high 57 low 47. Rain Sunday with just a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night high 56 low 45. Mostly cloudy Monday (Presidents’ Day) with rain likely (60%) high 58. Rain likely (60%) Monday night and Tuesday low near 47 high 55. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday night low 48. AM clouds and fog Wednesday then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers high near 58.

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Mostly cloudy with periods of rain today snow level 6,000′ high near 40. Mostly cloudy and breezy with evening rain and rain and snow showers late Thursday night  snow level 6,000′ falling to 4,000′ late 3-6″ of snow low 32 . Rain and snow showers likely (60%) Friday morning then afternoon rain and snow, snow level 4.000′ 3-6″ of snow high 38. Rain and snow showers likely (60%) Friday night snow level 4,000′ low 33. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday and Saturday night snow level 5,000′ rising to 6,500′  high 44 low 33 . Mostly cloudy with rain Sunday and showers likely (60%) at night snow level 6,000′ falling to falling to 5,500′ high 43 low 32. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday night through Monday night snow level 5,500′ rising to 7,000′ lows 34-36 high Monday (Presidents’ Day) 46 . Mostly cloudy Tuesday with rain likely (60%) and a (40%) chance of showers at night snow level 6,500′ rising to 7,000′ high 46 low 36 . Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday snow level 8,000′ high 47.

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