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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column Did You Ever Wonder Who Discovered What About Meteorology And When?”
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No winner this week. Here is my weekly weather quiz question for the last time. What is a “Backfire?” Here is the correct answer. This answer is particularly significant now with all of the wildfires in the West. A backfire is a fire deliberately started to stop an advancing fire by creating a burned area in its path. The hope is that the fire will stop at the already burned area because there would be no fuel left to burn. I’ll have a new weekly weather quiz question for you starting 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. Good luck.
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Advisories: There is a Blue Green Algae warning that continues for Dexter Reservoir. Water monitoring has confirmed the presence of blue-green algae that can produce toxins, state public health officials said. The algae levels are likely associated with dangerous cyanotoxin concentrations in the water that can be harmful to humans and animals. Swallowing or inhaling water droplets, as well as skin contact with water, should be avoided according to the authorities.
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An upper level high pressure ridge (“Arch” shape with blue arrows) will cover the Pacific Northwest for the next few days. That means more sunshine and warm temperatures. About half of the country has be very hot (for some very very hot with the heat index figured in the 110s) and they should be cooing down for the next few days as we warm up to near the 90 degree mark and then drop back down a bit. An upper level low (shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) will slide down from the Gulf of Alaska and a cold front will sweep down from the northwest between Thursday and Friday and that will mean temperatures cooling to the more comfortable mid 80s.
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The Grass Pollen Count is listed as barely Moderate at 5 and Tree pollen is Low at 1 as of 7/19/13 according to Oregon Allergy Associates.
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Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis: Mostly clear tonight, a mix of clouds and sun with patchy fog Sunday AM, sunny in the afternoon, clear Sunday night, AM clouds and sun, sunny and a bit warmer Monday afternoon, clear Monday night, mostly sunny Tuesday, then partly cloudy at night lows 52-56 highs 86-89. Partly cloudy Wednesday AM, sunny Wednesday afternoon, clear at night, then mostly sunny Thursday through Sunday while mostly clear at night highs 88-84 lows near 50. (seasonal averages high 84 low 52)
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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg: Clear this evening, partly cloudy tonight and Sunday AM, sunny and warmer in the afternoon, clear in the evening, partly cloudy late Sunday night and Monday AM, sunny and hot Monday afternoon, mostly clear Monday night, sunny and not quite as warm Tuesday, then partly cloudy Tuesday night lows 57-60 highs 90-94 cooling to 90 Tuesday. Partly cloudy Wednesday, mostly clear at night, mostly sunny Thursday, mostly clear at night, partly cloudy Friday AM, sunny in the afternoon, mostly clear Friday night, then partly cloudy Saturday highs 90-87 warming to 90 Saturday lows near 57. (seasonal averages high 86 low 57)
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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Partly cloudy this evening, mostly cloudy with patchy coastal fog late tonight and Sunday AM, sunny in the afternoon, mostly clear in the evening, mostly cloudy late Sunday night and Monday AM, sunny in the afternoon, clear Monday evening, then partly cloudy late Monday night through Tuesday night lows 55-52 highs 66-68. Partly cloudy Wednesday and Wednesday evening, mostly cloudy late Wednesday night, partly cloudy Thursday through Friday, mostly clear in the evening, then partly cloudy late Friday night and Saturday highs 66-69 lows near 53. (seasonal averages high 65 low 53)
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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Clear tonight, sunny Sunday and Monday with clear nights, mostly sunny Tuesday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and evening, then mostly cloudy with a slight 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms late Tuesday night free air freezing level 16,000 ft. tonight through Monday night, 16,000 ft. falling to 15,000 ft. Tuesday afternoon, snow level above 8,000 ft. Tuesday night lows 52-49 highs 82-76. A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday AM, mostly sunny in the afternoon, mostly clear Wednesday night, then mostly sunny and cooler Thursday through Saturday with mostly clear skies at night snow level above 8,000 ft. Wednesday AM, free air freezing level 15,000 ft. Wednesday afternoon through Saturday highs 77-72 lows 48-45.
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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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