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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column All “It” Was Supposed To Do Was Defoliate The Trees.

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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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No winner this week. Here is my weekly weather quiz question for the last time. What is a “ceilometer?”  Here is the correct answer. A Ceilometer is a device using a laser or other light source to determine the height of a cloud base. An optical ceilometer uses triangulation to determine the height of a spot of light projected onto the base of the cloud; a laser ceilometer determines the height by measuring the time required for a pulse of light to be scattered back from the cloud base. I’ll have a new weekly weather 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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An upper level low (Shaded “U” shape) is increasing onshore airflow and that means the chance of rain returns. A frontal system is moving through the Pacific Northwest. There will be a chance for some showers today in Florence for the Rhododendron Festival.

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Advisories: None at This Time.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 23 in the Good category measuring Ozone at Delight Valley School, Saginaw. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 6 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 (14)

Trees……….Moderate (62)

Last Counted: 5/16/14

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:

• Cloudy with AM showers likely (70%), showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening (0.25 in. of rain possible), showers likely (70%) late tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of AM showers Monday, a good (50%) chance of showers with a slight (20%) chance thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening (0.15 in. of rain possible), partly cloudy late Monday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• A mix of clouds and sun Tuesday, then partly cloudy Tuesday night.
• highs 63-68 lows 47-44.
• Partly cloudy Wednesday through Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday night and Saturday.
• highs 70-75 cooling to 68 Saturday lows 44-49. (seasonal averages high 68 low 44).

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• AM showers, showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening (0.15 in. of rain possible, small hail possible), showers likely (60%) late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• AM showers likely (60%), showers likely (70%) with a slight (20%) of thunderstorms Monday afternoon and evening (0.10 in. of rain possible, small hail possible), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Monday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Then just partly cloudy Tuesday and Tuesday night.
• highs 64-72 lows near 48.
• Partly cloudy Wednesday, mostly clear at night,
• Partly cloudy Thursday and Thursday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday.
• highs 73-78 cooling back to 73 Saturday lows near 46-48 (seasonal averages high 71 low 48)

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

• Mostly cloudy with showers today (0.30 in. of rain possible), coastal showers likely (70%) this evening and showers late tonight while inland showers likely (60%) tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible),
• AM showers likely (70%), coastal showers likely (70%) with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Monday afternoon while inland showers and a slight (20%) chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms, (0.20 in. of rain possible)a slight (20%) chance of showers late Monday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, small hail possible),
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM coastal showers Tuesday, partly cloudy in the afternoon and Tuesday night.
• high 59-62 lows 52-49.
• Partly cloudy Wednesday through Thursday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday night,
• Then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday.
• highs 65-70 cooling back to 64 Saturday lows near 52. (seasonal averages high 59 low 47).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible), rain and snow showers late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible),
• AM rain and snow showers likely (70%), rain and snow showers likely (70%) Monday with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, then a slight (20%) chance of showers late Monday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night.
• snow level  5,500 ft. today and tonight, 5,000 ft. Monday, 6,500 ft. Monday night, 7,500 ft. Tuesday, then above 8,000 ft. Tuesday night.
• highs 47-57 lows 33-37.
• Just partly cloudy Wednesday through Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday night and Saturday.
• free air freezing level 11,000 ft. Wednesday, 12,000 ft. Wednesday night, 11,000 ft. Thursday and Thursday night, snow level above 8,000 ft. Friday through Saturday.
• highs 60-66 cooling to 59 Saturday lows 36-42.

**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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