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Here is my weekly weather quiz question. What is “orographic lifting.” 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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Another upper level trough of low pressure (shaded “U” shape) is moving toward us as that weak high pressure ridge pulls away. A new frontal system, along with that trough, has brought back more wet weather. The strongest part of the storm pushed through California into Nevada. Yet another weak frontal system will approach the Pacific Northwest for the weekend and try to produce more showers.
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Advisories: A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM TODAY FOR THE WESTERN COLUMBIA GORGE AND THE UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM THURSDAY FOR THE NORTH OREGON CASCADES AND THE CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT ABOVE 2,000 FT. FOR CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, THE EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS, AND JACKSON COUNTY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON CASCADES AND THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS.
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Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis: Mostly cloudy with showers today (0.25 in. of rain possible), showers tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of AM showers, a slight (20%) chance of showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) Thursday afternoon, mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Thursday night, patchy AM fog, then mostly cloudy Friday and Friday night highs 45-40 lows 34-32. Mostly cloudy Saturday and Saturday night, a mix of clouds and sun Sunday and Monday with mostly cloudy skies Sunday night and Monday night, then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain Tuesday (New Year’s Day) highs 40-43 lows near 33. (seasonal averages high 45 low 33)
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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg: Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers today (0.25 in. of rain possible, 2-3 in. of snow possible, snow level 2,000 ft.), rain and snow showers this evening, rain and snow showers likely (70%) late tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible, 1-2 in. of snow possible, snow level 2,000 ft. falling to 1,500 ft. late), mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers Thursday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.), mostly cloudy with areas of fog Thursday night, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow Friday (snow level 1,500 ft.), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers Friday night lows 38-32 highs near 46. Mostly cloudy Saturday and Saturday night, partly cloudy Sunday and Sunday night, mostly cloudy Monday, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday night and Tuesday (New Year’s Day) highs 43-46 lows 32-35. (seasonal averages high 48 low 36)
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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Mostly cloudy with showers today with a slight (20%) chance of AM coastal thunderstorms (0.40 in. of rain possible), coastal showers tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible) with evening showers then showers likely (60%) inland late (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.), mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Thursday (snow level 2,000 ft.), mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Thursday night, cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Friday and Friday night lows 40-36 highs near 48. Mostly cloudy Saturday and Saturday night, partly cloudy Sunday, mostly cloudy Sunday night and Monday, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday night and Tuesday (New Year’s Day) highs 47-52 lows 36-34 warming to 38 Monday night. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40)
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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Mostly cloudy with snow showers today (0.30 in. of rain possible, 4-8 in. of snow possible), snow showers tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible, 3-7 in. of snow possible), AM snow showers likely (60%), a (%) chance of snow showers Thursday afternoon, partly cloudy Thursday night, mostly cloudy Friday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers Friday night snow level at the surface today through Thursday night, then free air freezing level at the surface Friday, then snow level at the surface Friday night lows 23-20 warming to 23 Friday night highs near 30. Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers Saturday and Saturday night, a mix of clouds and sun Sunday, mostly cloudy Sunday night, a mix of clouds and sun Monday, mostly cloudy at night, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow Tuesday (New Year’s Day) snow level at the surface Saturday and Saturday night, free air freezing level 3,500 ft. Sunday, 4,500 ft. Sunday night through Monday night, then snow level 4,000 ft. Tuesday highs near 30 lows near 23.
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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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