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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column I See Lights In The Sky, But It’s Not A UFO.

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And don’t forget my latest feature story in the continuing series on service club organizations called Oregon Has Two Kinds Of “Elks” Four Legged and Two Legged.
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Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is “The National Climatic Data Center?” 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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We’re not surprised that an upper level trough of low pressure (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) is sending moisture through Oregon. A frontal system (warm front first) pushed the clouds and showers across the Pacific Northwest. Behind the front more showers and gusty winds. The upper level low will push in by Saturday and be past us Sunday returning the sunshine and warming us up. A High Pressure ridge will give us sunshine and warmer temperatures next week.

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Advisories: A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM TONIGHT UNTIL 11 AM  SATURDAY ABOVE 4,000 FT. FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES, AND THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 26 in the Good category measuring Ozone at Amazon Park, Eugene. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 10 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter at Willamette Activity Center, Oakridge. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)
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Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Grass……….Moderate (7)

Trees……….Moderate (17)

Last Counted: 5/8/14

Data Courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

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

• Mostly cloudy with showers this AM, showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening (0.25 in. of rain possible, more in storms), showers late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday (0.10 in. of rain possible), partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers in the evening, just partly cloudy late Saturday night,
• Then partly cloudy Sunday AM (Mother’s Day), mostly sunny in the afternoon, then partly cloudy at night.
• highs 60-67 lows 46-40 warming to 42 Sunday night.
• Mostly sunny Monday through Thursday while mostly clear each night.
• highs 75-83 lows 44-48. (seasonal averages high 66 low 43).

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with showers today (0.10 in. of rain possible) and tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday AM (small hail possible, AM snow level 3,500 ft.), showers likely (60%) with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon (0.20 in. of rain possible), a (30%) chance of isolated showers in the evening, just partly cloudy late at night.
• Partly cloudy Sunday AM (Mother’s Day), mostly sunny and warmer in the afternoon, then mostly clear Sunday night.
• highs 60-73 lows 46-40 warming to 46 Sunday night.
• Partly cloudy Monday, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny and warmer Tuesday through Thursday with clear skies at night.
• highs 80-88 cooling to 85 Thursday lows near 50. (seasonal averages high 69 low 46)

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

• Showers today (0.25 in. of rain possible), evening coastal showers and showers with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms late tonight while showers inland tonight (0.35 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy chance with showers (0.25 in. of rain possible) and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms (small hail possible) Saturday AM, a good (50%) chance of showers in the afternoon (0.20 in. of rain possible), partly cloudy with a (40%) chance of isolated showers in the evening, just partly cloudy at night inland (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Partly cloudy in the AM, mostly sunny and warmer Sunday (Mother’s Day), mostly clear Sunday night.
• high 57-64 lows 49-45 warming to 50 Sunday night.
• Partly cloudy Monday AM, sunny in afternoon, mostly clear Monday night,
• Mostly sunny Tuesday and Wednesday with clear skies at night,
• Then sunny Thursday.
• highs 69-73 cooling to near 70 Thursday lows 53-50. (seasonal averages high 58 low 46).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with AM rain and snow showers, rain and snow showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening (0.25 in. of rain possible, 2 in.of snow possible), rain and snow showers late tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible, 2-5 in.of snow possible),
• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday afternoon (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1-4 in. of snow possible), partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers in the evening, a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers late Saturday night,
• Mostly sunny Sunday (Mother’s Day), mostly clear Sunday night.
• snow level 5,000 ft. today, 4,500 ft. tonight, 4,000 ft. Saturday, 4,500 ft. Saturday night, free air freezing level 5,500 ft. rising to 7,500 ft. Sunday, then 9,000 ft. Sunday night.
• highs 43-40 warming to 53 Sunday lows 30-36.
• Mostly sunny Monday through Thursday with mostly clear skies at night.
• free air freezing level 9,000 ft. Monday, 10,000 ft. Monday night, 11,000 ft. Tuesday, 12,000 ft. Tuesday night, 13,000 ft. Wednesday, 11,000 ft. at night, then 12,000 ft. Thursday.
• highs 60-70 cooling t0 67 Thursday lows 39-45 cooling to 40 Wednesday night.

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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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