_______________

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

________________

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.

________________

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.

________________

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.

________________

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.

________________

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

• Partly cloudy tonight.
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon Thursday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the evening, mostly cloudy late Thursday night.
• Mostly cloudy Friday AM, partly cloudy Friday afternoon, mostly cloudy late Friday night and Saturday AM with patchy fog and drizzle, a mix of clouds and sun in the afternoon, partly cloudy in the evening, then mostly cloudy late Saturday night.
• lows 58-54 highs 86-78.
• (Get ready for some repetition) Mostly cloudy Sunday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy late Sunday night and Monday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy Monday night and Tuesday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy late Tuesday night and Wednesday AM, then partly cloudy Wednesday afternoon.
• highs 79-82 cooling to near 80 Wednesday lows near 53. (seasonal averages high 83 low 51)

________________

Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy with areas of smoke and a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms 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 and evening, mostly cloudy with patchy fog and areas of smoke late at night.
• Mostly cloudy with patchy AM fog and areas of smoke Saturday, then mostly cloudy with more patchy smoke late Saturday night.
• lows 64-56 highs 84-77.
• Mostly cloudy with areas of smoke Sunday, then partly cloudy late Sunday night through Wednesday.
• highs 80-83 lows near 54. (seasonal averages high 84 low 55)

_________________

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

• Partly cloudy this evening at the shore and mostly cloudy with coastal fog late tonight while just partly cloudy inland tonight.
• Mostly cloudy with patchy coastal fog Thursday AM, a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, mostly cloudy Thursday night and Friday, mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Friday night.
• Patchy AM fog, then mostly cloudy with patchy lingering fog Saturday and Saturday night.
• lows near 55 highs 64-67.
• Patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy with patchy fog lingering fog Sunday, then just partly cloudy Sunday night through Wednesday.
• highs 69-67 lows 53-55. (seasonal averages high 66 low 53)

________________

Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:

• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this evening, just partly cloudy late tonight.
• A mix of clouds and sun Thursday AM, becoming mostly cloudy with good (50%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms late Thursday night.
• Mostly cloudy Friday AM, mostly sunny in the afternoon, partly cloudy Friday night.
• A mix of clouds and sun Saturday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, then just mostly cloudy late Saturday night.
• free air freezing level 15,000 ft. tonight and Thursday, 13,000 ft. falling to 12,000 ft. late Thursday night, 13,000 ft. Friday and Friday night, 12,000 ft. Saturday, snow level above 8,000 ft. Saturday evening, then free air freezing level 12,000 ft. late Saturday night.
• lows 54-47 highs 73-67.
• Mostly cloudy Sunday AM, a  mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers 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 through Wednesday.
• free air freezing level 12,000 ft. Sunday AM, snow level above 8,000 ft. Sunday afternoon through Monday evening, then free air freezing level 12,000 ft. late Monday night and Tuesday afternoon.
• highs 67-70 cooling to 68 Tuesday lows 47-45.

________________

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

________________