No winner for this week’s weather quiz question. Here is the question again, What is the “snow eater”?  The “snow eater” is warmly welcomed by residents of the High Plains of the U.S. during the dead of winter. When the warm, dry downslope “Chinook” winds blow during the winter along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains the air is compressed and heated with the result of  up to a foot of snow cover disappearing in one day. I’ll have another weekly weather quiz question for you Monday. Remember the first person to post the correct answer will win one week of free customized weather forecasts tailored to your personal needs. Good luck.

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An  upper level trough of low pressure will slide through the state and will be replaced by a high pressure ridge. The latest frontal system is moving  through Oregon with rain and continued cool temperatures. There will be a break from the rain from late Saturday through Monday and then a new storm system will approach the coast by Tuesday. Spring is getting closer. The Vernal Equinox (the beginning of Spring) takes place at 10:32 AM on Saturday March 20th, just about a week away.

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Advisories:  A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM SATURDAY  FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON COAST.

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Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis:  Mostly cloudy with showers this evening (a slight (20%) chance of evening and late night thunderstorms) and showers likely (60%) late tonight and colder low 34. Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday morning and partly cloudy at night high 54 low 35. A mix of clouds and sun and dry Sunday and partly cloudy Sunday night high 58 low 42. A mix of clouds and sun Monday and partly cloudy Monday night high 64 lows 43. Mostly cloudy Tuesday with a good (50%) chance of rain high near 59. Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Tuesday night low 40. Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday and  Wednesday night high 57 lows 38. A mix of clouds and sun Thursday and partly cloudy Thursday night  high 57 low 37 . A mix of clouds and sun Friday high 58.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:  Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers tonight and a slight (20%) of thunderstorms tonight snow level 2,000′ 1″ of snow possible low 34. Mostly cloudy with a (20%) chance of AM rain and snow showers Saturday snow level 2,000′ then just mostly cloudy in the afternoon high 55. Partly cloudy with late night and early morning fog Saturday night through Monday lows 35-40 highs 54-65.  Mostly cloudy Monday night low 40. Mostly cloudy with a  good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday and Tuesday night high 62 low 42. Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of  rain Wednesday high 56. Mostly cloudy Wednesday night and Thursday low 35 high 57. Partly cloudy Thursday night and mostly cloudy Friday low 39  high 60.

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend:  Showers and a slight (20%)  chance of scattered thunderstorms tonight snow level 2,000′ low 38. Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at the coast and a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers inland Saturday morning snow level 2,000′ in the morning high 50. Partly cloudy Saturday night  with patchy fog inland late at night low 37. Patchy morning and late night fog inland otherwise partly cloudy Sunday through Monday highs 55-60 low 42 . Mostly cloudy Monday night then a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday and Tuesday night l0ws near  45-42 high 56 . Mostly cloudy Wednesday with a slight (20%) chance of rain high 55. Mostly cloudy Wednesday night and Thursday low 39 high 54. Partly cloudy Thursday night and mostly cloudy Friday low 42 high 57.

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:  Mostly cloudy with snow showers and colder tonight snow level at the surface 3-5″ of snow low 24. Mostly cloudy with snow showers likely (60%) Saturday morning and a good (50%) chance in the afternoon then partly cloudy at night snow level at the surface Saturday 1-3″ of snow possible high 35. Partly cloudy  Saturday night free air freezing level 4,000′ low 23. A mix of clouds and sun Sunday and Monday and partly cloudy Sunday night and Monday night free air freezing level 5,500′ rising to  6,500′ Sunday afternoon, 8,000′ Monday and 9,000′ Monday night highs 48-53 lows 25-30. Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow Tuesday snow level 6,000′ high 48. A (40%) chance of rain and snow showers Tuesday night and Wednesday snow level 3,500′ Tuesday night and Wednesday low 30 high 44. Partly cloudy Wednesday night with a slight (20%) chance rain and snow showers snow level falling to 3,500′  low 26 . A mix of clouds and sun Thursday and Friday with partly cloudy skies Thursday night free air freezing level level 5,000′ Thursday, 5,500′ Thursday night and 6,000′ Friday  highs 47 low 26.

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