________________

Here is my weekly weather quiz question. What is the average ratio of melted liquid to actual snowfall? In other words how much melted snow (liquid amount) will equal a specific amount of snow? 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.

________________

Another upper level trough of low pressure is moving down from the Gulf of Alaska following the one that is moved away from us. A warm front (shown in red) pushed through raising temperatures a bit and raising the snow levels above the valley floor. It is followed by a cold front that is moving through now. For skiers Mt. Ashland, Hoodoo and Willamette Pass are all open.

________________

Advisories:  A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COAST. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM TODAY FOR THE COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND THE CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON.  A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM TODAY FOR  THE NORTH OREGON CASCADES AND THE CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM FRIDAY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON COAST. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM FRIDAY ABOVE 2,500 FT. FOR CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, THE EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS, AND JACKSON COUNTY.  A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM TODAY FOR JACKSON COUNTY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TODAY UNTIL 4 AM FRIDAY FOR THE EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS, JACKSON COUNTY, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM FRIDAY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON CASCADES, AND THE SISKIYOUS MOUNTAINS.  A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM TODAY FOR THE KLAMATH BASIN, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.  A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM FRIDAY FOR NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.

A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NEHALEM RIVER NEAR FOSS AFFECTING CLATSOP AND TILLIMOOK COUNTY. FOR MORE DETAILS SEE FLOOD WARNING PAGE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE IN PORTLAND.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS  EVENING FOR THE NORTH OREGON COAST, THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST, THE COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON, THE CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF OREGON, AND THE SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY.

_________________

The Winter Solstice takes place at 3:12 AM PST Friday and that marks the official beginning of Winter and the shortest day of the year. For more detail see The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

________________

Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis: Mostly cloudy with rain, possibly heavy at times, until mid this afternoon (0.75in. of rain possible) and breezy (wind: S 15-25 mph decreasing to S 10-15 mph this afternoon), showers tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible), showers Friday (0.15 in. of rain possible) through Saturday, then rain likely (70%) Saturday night highs 43-45 lows 36-38. Mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) Sunday through Monday, a good (50%) chance of showers Monday night and Tuesday (Christmas Day), then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday night and Wednesday highs 43-46 lows 35-40. (seasonal averages high 45 low 33)

_______________

Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg: Mostly cloudy with AM rain, snow and scattered thunderstorms, rain and snow this afternoon (0.65 in. of rain possible, 4-6 in. of snow possible, snow level 2,000 ft.), rain and snow showers tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 2,500 ft. late), AM rain and snow showers, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Friday afternoon (0.25 in. of rain possible, 2-3 in. of snow possible, snow level 2,500 ft. ), rain and snow showers Friday night (0.35 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,500 ft. rising to 3,000 ft. late), rain and snow showers Saturday AM, rain and snow showers likely (60%) in the afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), then rain and snow Saturday night highs 42-46 lows 35-40 cooling to 36 Saturday night. Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers likely (60%) Sunday AM, rain and snow likely (60%) in the afternoon, rain and snow showers Sunday night, rain and snow showers likely (70%) Monday, a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers Monday night, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday (Christmas Day), a (40%) chance of rain Tuesday night, then mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Wednesday highs 40-48 lows 36-40. (seasonal averages high 47 low 36)

_________________

Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Mostly cloudy with  rain and scattered thunderstorms this AM, rain this afternoon (0.60 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.) and windy (wind: S 20-30 mph decreasing to S 10-20 by late AM into the afternoon), showers tonight (0.35 in. of rain possible, evening snow level 2,000 ft.), mostly cloudy with showers Friday through Saturday (0.10 in. of rain possible Friday, o.60 in. possible at night, 0.10 in. of rain possible Saturday), then mostly cloudy with rain Saturday night highs near 48 lows 37-40. Mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) Sunday AM, rain likely (70%) in the afternoon, showers at night, showers likely (70%) Monday, a (40%) chance of showers Monday night, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday (Christmas Day) and Tuesday night, then mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Wednesday highs 46-50 lows 39-45. (seasonal averages high 51 low 39)

_______________

Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Mostly cloudy with rain or snow this AM, snow  (0.50 in. of rain possible, 2-5 in. of snow possible) this afternoon and windy (wind: S 20-30 mph gusts to 60 decreasing to 45 in the afternoon), rain and snow showers tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1-3 in. of rain possible), AM snow showers, rain and snow showers Friday afternoon (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1-4 in. of snow possible), rain and snow showers Friday night and breezy (wind: SE 10-15 mph gusts to 30 mph shifting to S 15-25 mph gusts to 40 mph late at night), mostly cloudy with snow showers Saturday, then snow likely (60%) Saturday night snow level 2,500 ft. today, at the surface tonight, 2,500 ft. Friday, 3,000 ft.  Friday night, at the surface Saturday, then 2,500 ft. Saturday night highs 29-33 cooling to near 30 Saturday lows 25-28. Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers likely (60%) Sunday and Sunday night, snow showers likely (60%) Monday, a good (50%) chance of snow showers Monday night, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow Tuesday (Christmas Day), then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow Tuesday night and Wednesday snow level 2,500 ft. Sunday through Tuesday, 4,000 ft. Tuesday night, then 5,000 ft. Wednesday highs 32-27 Monday and warming to 35 Wednesday lows 25-30.

________________

**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.

________________

Get your local Eugene-Springfield news on-line at Eugene Daily News.com.

______________