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Sorry, but no winner this week. Here is my weekly weather quiz question for this week for the last time. The Willamette Valley can see some pretty hot temperatures during the summer months, but the diurnal variation of temperatures is what makes it not as uncomfortable as it can get elsewhere. Explain what “diurnal” means and why does it make us more comfortable? Here is the answer. Diurnal temperature variation is a meteorological term that relates to the variation in temperature that occurs from the highs of the day to the cool of nights. For Western Oregon that translates to a drastic drop off of temperatures after a very warm summer day. The high for the day may exceed 90 degrees, but the nighttime low temperature will usually fall anywhere from 20 to 40 degrees cooler which makes for much more comfortable conditions than would be found in other parts of the country. I’ll have a new weekly weather quiz question for you starting next Monday. Please remember to post your answer as a comment by clicking on “no comments /comments” in the upper right hand portion of this page under the caption, then add your comment. The first person to post the correct answer will win a week of free personalized weather forecasts tailored to your needs. The answer has to be a comment to win. An email answer will not count.
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Advisories: A FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES TO BE IN EFFECT FOR THE NEHALEM RIVER NEAR FOSS (WATER IS RECEDING). A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PUDDING RIVER AT AURORA THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE AND THE SOUTH FORK OF THE COQUILLE RIVER AT MYRTLE POINT. FOR FLOOD UPDATES SEE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVER WARNINGS.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM TODAY FOR THE COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON, NORTH OREGON CASCADES, AND THE CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM TODAY FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WILLAMETTE VALLEY. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL THIS MORNING FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON COAST, CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, AND JOSEPHINE COUNTY. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM TODAY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON COAST. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM TODAY ABOVE 1,000 FT. FOR THE SOUTH OREGON COAST, AND ABOVE 2,000 FT. FOR CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, AND JACKSON COUNTY.
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A trough of low pressure (“U” shape on the jet stream) is sliding southward and eastward and lengthening. That trough is sending a fetch of moisture with it. One frontal system moved its way through the Pacific Northwest as the next one pushes in lowering snow levels. More storm systems will give us rainy weather for next week too.
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Here are your detailed forecasts.**
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Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis: Mostly cloudy with showers (0.25 in. of rain possible) today, a good (50%) chance of showers tonight (snow level 1,000 ft., under 0.10 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday (snow level 1,000 ft.) and Sunday night, with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Monday, then rain likely (60%) Monday night highs 45-50 lows 33-30 warming to near 35 Monday night. Mostly cloudy with rain Tuesday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday night, rain likely (60%) Wednesday, showers likely (60%) Wednesday night and Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday night, then a (40%) chance of showers Friday highs 53-49 lows 37-33 warming to 36 Thursday night. (seasonal averages high 57 low 37)
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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg: Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers this AM, rain and snow showers likely (60%) in the afternoon (snow level 800 ft. rising to 1,500 ft. in the afternoon, 1-2 in. of snow possible above 1,500 ft. and 1 in. of snow lowers elevations, 0.15 in. of rain possible), a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers tonight (snow level 1,500 ft. falling to 300 ft. late at night, under 0.10 in. of rain possible), a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Sunday AM, rain and snow showers likely (60%) in the afternoon (snow level 700 ft., 0.10 in. of rain possible), a (30%) chance of rain and snow showers Sunday night (snow level 900 ft., under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain and snow showers likely (60%) Monday, rain and snow in the evening, then rain late Monday night highs 64-50 lows 33-40. Mostly cloudy with rain Tuesday and a bit warmer, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday night, rain likely (60%) Wednesday, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Wednesday night through Thursday night, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Friday highs 48-56 lows 36-40. (seasonal averages high 58 low 39)
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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Mostly cloudy with showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms at the shore today, AM inland rain and snow showers then rain and snow showers likely (60%) in the afternoon (snow level 800 ft. rising to 1,500 ft., 1 in. of snow possible, 0.30 in. of rain possible), and breezy (wind: SW 15-25 mph gusts to 40 mph, shifting S 10-15 mph late), mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of coastal showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms with a (30%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms inland tonight (snow level 1,500 ft. falling to 1,000 ft. late at night, 0.10 in. of rain possible), a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Sunday AM, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Sunday afternoon inland (snow level 700 ft., 0.15 in. of rain possible), coastal showers likely (60%) Sunday evening, inland rain and snow showers likely (60%) Sunday evening then a (%) chance of rain and snow showers late Sunday night, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Monday, then rain likely (60%) Monday night highs 47-45 lows 34-42. Mostly cloudy with rain Tuesday, cloudy with rain likely (60%) Tuesday night, rain Wednesday, then mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) Wednesday night, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Thursday AM, showers likely (60%) Thursday afternoon and Thursday night, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Friday highs 55-48 lows 40-35. (seasonal averages high 54 low 42).
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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Mostly cloudy with snow showers (1-4 in. of snow possible) and breezy (wind: SW 15-25 mph gusts to 40 mph switching W 10-25 mph in the afternoon) today, a good (50%) chance of snow showers tonight, snow showers likely (60%) Sunday, a good (50%) chance of snow showers Sunday night, snow showers likely (60%) Monday, then rain or snow likely (60%) Monday night snow level at the surface today through Monday, then 2,500 ft. Monday night highs 32-27 warming to near 32 Monday lows 23-18 warming to 24 Monday night. Mostly cloudy with rain or snow Tuesday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday night, rain and snow likely (60%) Wednesday, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Wednesday night through Thursday night, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Friday snow level 4,500 ft. Tuesday, 5,500 ft. Tuesday night, 5,000 ft. Wednesday and Wednesday night, 3,000 ft. Thursday, then 3,500 ft. Thursday night and Friday highs 39-42 cooling to near 33 Thursday then warming to near 40 Friday lows 27-24.
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**Because weather forecasting is a combination of science, intuition, and timing there can be no absolute guarantees that individual forecasts will be 100% accurate. Nature is in a constant state of flux and sudden unexpected weather events can happen.
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Get your local Eugene-Springfield news on-line at Eugene Daily News.com.
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