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Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. In meteorology what does the acronym “AFOS” stand for? 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. Good luck.

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The  upper air flow is moving from the northwest as a high pressure ridge (Shaded “Arch shape”) sits over the Gulf of Alaska. That ridge is flattening which means the airflow will be more from the west bringing more ocean moisture our way. A frontal system will be pushed by the upper air winds through the Pacific Northwest today. The ridge will strengthen Thursday and fade Friday. This frontal system will move in late in the week increasing the chance of rain once again into the weekend. For skiers Mt. Ashland and Hoodoo are open and Willamette Pass is still waiting for quite a bit more snow before they can open.

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Advisories: NONE AT THIS TIME.

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Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis: AM fog with a slight (20%) chance of rain, rain (0.15 in. of rain possible) this afternoon and evening, showers (0.10 in. of rain possible) likely (60%) late tonight, cloudy with AM showers likely (60%) Wednesday, a good (50%) chance of showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) in the afternoon, partly cloudy with patchy evening fog, more areas of fog Wednesday night, AM fog, a mix of clouds and sun Thursday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Thursday night highs 46-40 lows 35-32 warming to 35 Thursday night. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday and Friday night, then mostly cloudy with rain likely (70%) Saturday through Monday highs 44-48 cooling to 45 Monday lows near 37. (seasonal averages high 46 low 34)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg: Mostly cloudy with areas of fog this AM with a slight (20%) chance of AM rain, rain (0.10 in. of rain possible) this afternoon and evening, rain and snow showers (0.20 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible, snow level 2,500 ft. late) late tonight, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Wednesday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 2,500 ft. in the afternoon), a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers in the evening, then just mostly cloudy with areas of fog late Wednesday night, and Thursday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow Thursday night highs 46-40 lows 39-35 warming to 37 Thursday night. Mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Friday, showers likely (60%) Friday night, rain and snow likely (60%) Saturday, rain at night, rain likely (60%) Sunday, then mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) Sunday night and Monday highs 45-50 lows 37-40. (seasonal averages high 48 low 37)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Mostly cloudy with areas of fog this AM with a slight (20%) chance of AM rain, afternoon and evening rain (0.35 in. of rain possible) and breezy (wind: SW 5-10 mph increasing to SW 15-25 mph by late this AM), showers late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible), a (40%) chance of showers Wednesday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, AM snow level 2,000 ft.), a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, then just mostly cloudy late Wednesday night and Thursday, then mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Thursday night highs 48-44 lows 38-35 warming to 37 Thursday night. Mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Friday, showers likely (70%) Friday night, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday, rain at night, rain likely (70%) Sunday, then showers likely (70%) Sunday night and Monday highs 46-50 lows near 38-43. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40)

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Mostly cloudy with rain and snow (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible) this afternoon, mostly cloudy with rain and snow this evening, rain and snow showers late tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible, 3-6 in. of snow possible), cloudy with snow showers likely (60%) Wednesday AM, a good (50%) chance of snow showers in the afternoon (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible), mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of evening snow showers, just mostly cloudy and colder Wednesday night, a mix of clouds and sun Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow Thursday night snow level 5,000 ft. this afternoon, 2,500 ft. tonight, at the surface Wednesday and Wednesday night, free air freezing level at the surface Thursday, then snow level 3,000 ft. Thursday night highs 39-30 lows 26-20 warming to 24 Thursday night. Mostly cloudy with snow likely (60%) Friday, then rain and snow likely (70%) Friday night through Monday  snow level 2,500 ft. Friday and Friday night, 3,000 ft. Saturday through Sunday night, then 4,000 ft. Monday highs 30-35 cooling to near 32 Saturday night warming to 35 Sunday night lows 23-28.

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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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