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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column Remember What Don Essig Always Says. Really?

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Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is a “wall cloud?”  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 and Dorena Reservoir, and now Fern Ridge Reservoir has been added to the list. 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 low (“U” shape with blue arrows) has moved to the south away from us and will move eastward through California. The upper airflow is coming from just about due-West which is called “Zonal Flow.” Next, the low off California will move northeastward producing the chance of showers and thunderstorms. The Eugene Celebration runs Friday through Sunday and so far the weather is looking good.

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The Grass Pollen Count is listed as Low at 2 and Tree pollen is Absent at 0 as of 8/17/13 according to Oregon Allergy Associates.

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Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis:

• Partly cloudy and warm today,  partly cloudy tonight.
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers in the afternoon Thursday, mostly cloudy in the evening, partly cloudy late Thursday night.
• Then a mix of clouds and sun Friday with increasing clouds from partly cloudy in the evening to cloudy by late Friday night.
• highs 90-83 lows 58-54.
• Cloudy with patchy fog and a slight (20%) chance of drizzle Saturday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy late Saturday night.
• Just a mix of clouds and sun Sunday and Monday with partly cloudy skies at night, then partly cloudy Monday night and Tuesday.
• highs 78-82 cooling to near 80 Tuesday lows 55-52. (seasonal averages high 83 low 51)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy with more patchy smoke and a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight.
• Areas of AM smoke, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening, areas of smoke again late Thursday night.
• Mostly cloudy with areas of smoke Friday AM, partly cloudy with areas of smoke in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with patchy fog with areas of smoke Friday evening, patchy fog and areas of smoke continue late at night.
• highs 95-84 lows 63-56.
• Mostly cloudy with patchy AM fog and areas of smoke Saturday, mostly cloudy with more patchy smoke late Saturday night and Sunday, mostly cloudy in the evening, then partly cloudy late Sunday night through Tuesday.
• highs 83-80 warming to 84 Tuesday lows 58-52. (seasonal averages high 84 low 55)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend:

• Partly cloudy with patchy AM coastal fog today, partly cloudy this evening at the shore and cloudy with patchy coastal fog late tonight while partly cloudy inland tonight.
• Mostly cloudy with patchy coastal fog Thursday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon, mostly cloudy Thursday night.
• Partly cloudy Friday, then mostly cloudy with patchy fog Friday night.
• highs 68-64 warming to 67 Friday lows 53-56.
• Mostly cloudy with patchy fog Saturday through Sunday, partly cloudy Sunday night through  Monday evening, mostly cloudy at night and Tuesday AM, then partly cloudy Tuesday afternoon.
• highs near 69 lows near 54. (seasonal averages high 66 low 53)

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:

• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms early this afternoon, a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms late this afternoon and  tonight.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday AM, a good (50%) chance of showers with a slight (20%) chance of  thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Thursday night.
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers, just partly cloudy Friday afternoon, then partly cloudy Friday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today through Friday, then free air freezing level 12,000 ft. Friday night.
• highs 82-72 lows 54-49.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon,  partly cloudy in  evening, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Saturday night.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Sunday night.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers in the evening, then partly cloudy late Monday night, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday afternoon.
• free air freezing level 12,000 ft. in the AM, snow level above 8,000 ft. Saturday afternoon through Monday evening, free air freezing level 12,000 ft. late Monday night and Tuesday AM, then snow level above 8,000 ft. Tuesday afternoon.
• highs near 68 lows 49-45.

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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 and Lane County news on-line at Eugene Daily News.com.

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