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No winner this week. Here is my weekly weather quiz question for the last time. The “Winter Solstice” occurs at 9:11 AM December 21st. What is the significance of this event? Here is the correct answer. The Winter Solstice is the time at which the sun is farthest south in the Southern Hemisphere, on or around December 21. It is significant because it is the shortest day of the year. The days following start getting slightly longer as the sun starts its journey to the north. 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:

• A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND  EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.

A Blue-Green Algae warning  has been cancelled for Devils Lake while the warning continues for Tenmile Lakes in Coos County, Fern Ridge Reservoir, Lost Creek Lake, and Willow Creek Reservoir (NE Oregon). 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 (Shaded “Arch” shape) will be drawing much colder air down to the Pacific Northwest. A frontal system is moving through Oregon with the warm front already here and the cold front pushing in tonight. A cold front (position shown is Wednesday) will push down from the northwest bringing precipitation and colder temperatures along with them starting Monday.

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

• Cloudy with rain likely (70%) today (0.10 in. of rain possible) and evening, rain tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible) and breezy (wind: SW 15-25 mph gusts to 40 mph),
• Showers Monday (0.45 in. of rain possible), evening showers likely (60%), rain and snow showers likely (60%) and colder late at night (snow level 1,000 ft. late),
• A mix of clouds and sun Tuesday, then mostly clear Tuesday night.
• highs 53-38 lows 45-22.
• Mostly sunny Wednesday, partly cloudy with areas of freezing fog late Wednesday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with patchy freezing fog Thursday, mostly cloudy with freezing fog at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow Friday through Saturday.
• highs 34-30 warming to 36 Saturday lows 15-20. (seasonal averages high 48 low 35).

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

• Mostly cloudy with AM coastal rain likely (60%) with rain this afternoon and evening (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with AM rain, showers Monday afternoon (0.55 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.), coastal showers while inland rain and snow showers in the evening, then rain and snow showers and colder Monday night (0.15 in. of rain possible, snow level 1,000 ft.),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of AM rain and snow showers, a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday afternoon, then partly cloudy with areas of freezing fog late Tuesday night.
• highs 56-46 lows 48-30.
• Partly cloudy with areas of freezing fog Wednesday, mostly clear with areas of freezing fog Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy with areas of AM and late night freezing fog Thursday and Thursday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers Friday and Friday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and just a bit warmer Saturday.
• highs 43-38 warming to 48 Saturday lows 25-32. (seasonal averages high 52 low 41)

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) and breezy (wind: SW 10-15 mph increasing to SW 15-25 mph in the afternoon gusts to 40 mph) today, rain (0.75 in. of rain possible) tonight and breezy (wind: SW 15-25 mph gusts to 45 mph).
• Mostly cloudy with AM showers, rain (1.00 in. of rain possible, 8 in. -12 in. of snow possible) and snow showers Monday afternoon and breezy (wind: SW 15-25 mph gusts to 50 mph decreasing to 40 mph late afternoon), rain and snow showers in the evening, snow showers and colder late Monday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of snow showers Tuesday, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers at night.
• snow level 8,000 ft. today, 7,500 ft. falling to 6.500 ft. late tonight, 6,000 ft. falling to 3,000 ft. Monday, then at the surface Monday night through Tuesday night.
• highs 44-24 lows 34-10.
• A mix of clouds and sun Wednesday, partly cloudy at night through Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of snow Friday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow Friday night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of snow Saturday.
• free air freezing level at the surface Wednesday through Thursday night, then snow level at the surface Friday through Saturday.
• highs 19-28 lows 5-16.