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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column “A Shooting Star Bonanza”

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And don’t forget my latest feature story in the continuing series on service club organizations called Who Are The Soroptimists And What Are They Doing?

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Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is a “Backfire?”  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 in blue arrows moving to the northeast) is over us bringing a continuing continued threat of showers and thunderstorms across Oregon. National Weather Service Doppler Radar shows where the low is located. Note the rain is heading in a counter-clockwise direction taking rain to the north in eastern Oregon and then heading to the west curving back toward the south over the ocean. A frontal system will move through the Pacific Northwest keeping the threat of precipitation with us.

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Advisories:

• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING WITH DRY FUELS FOR THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING WITH DRY FUELS FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST, MINUS SISTERS RANGER DISTRICT, THE EAST SLOPES OF THE NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES, THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, THE SOUTHERN BLUE AND STRAWBERRY MOUNTAINS, THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS AND THE CENTRAL BLUE MOUNTAINS.
• A HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE PRESENCE OF HIGHER-THAN-NORMAL FECAL BACTERIA AT MILL BEACH IN CURRY COUNTY. DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE SURF OR WATER RUNNING INTO THE  SURF IN THIS AREA SHOULD BE AVOIDED UNTIL THE ADVISORY IS LIFTED, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY, WHO MAY BE MORE VULNERABLE TO WATERBORNE BACTERIA.
• A HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE PRESENCE OF BLUE-GREEN ALGAE FOR WALTERVILLE POND IN LANE COUNTY AND AT DEVILS LAKE IN LINCOLN COUNTY. THE TOXIC ALGAE BLOOM MEANS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE AFFECTED WATER AND THAT ALSO GOES FOR ANY PETS.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 15 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 32 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 (6)

Trees………. Absent (0)

Last Counted: 8/6/14

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:

• Showers and a slight (20%) chance of morning thunderstorms, showers likely (60%) with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this afternoon (0.25 in. of rain possible, more in storms, small hail possible), a good (50%) chance of showers and thunderstorms this evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible, more in storms),
• Mostly cloudy with sun peeks and a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday and in the evening, just mostly cloudy Thursday night and Friday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and Friday night.
• highs 74-82 lows near 53.
• Partly cloudy Saturday AM, mostly sunny in the afternoon, partly cloudy Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy in the AM, mostly sunny Sunday afternoon, mostly clear at night,
• Then mostly sunny Monday and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night.
• highs 84-86 lows 53-58. (seasonal averages high 83 low 51)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with showers and a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms today, a (30%) chance of showers tonight,
• Mostly cloudy Thursday and in the evening, mostly clear late at night,
• Mostly sunny Friday, then mostly clear Friday night.
• highs 75-85 lows 60-58.
• Partly cloudy Saturday through Sunday, mostly clear Saturday night,
• Mostly sunny Monday and Tuesday, mostly clear each night.
• highs 87-92 lows near 60. (seasonal averages high 85 low 56)

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

• Mostly cloudy with showers and isolated morning thunderstorms inland while scattered showers at the shore, a good (50%) chance of showers this afternoon, a slight (20%) chance of showers tonight,
• Mostly cloudy Thursday and Thursday night,
• Mostly cloudy Friday AM, sunny in the afternoon, partly cloudy at night.
• highs 63 lows near 54.
• Then partly cloudy Saturday through Tuesday.
• highs near 64 lows near 55. (seasonal averages high 65 low 53)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with showers and a chance of thunderstorms today, showers likely (60%) with a chance of evening thunderstorms (0.50 in. of rain possible, more in storms, small hail possible), a good (50%) chance of showers late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers, a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening, just mostly cloudy late Thursday night,
• Partly cloudy Friday, then mostly clear Friday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today through Thursday evening, free air freezing level 13,000 ft. Friday then 14,000 ft. Friday night.
• highs 63-72 lows near 47.
• Mostly sunny Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, partly cloudy Saturday night and mostly clear Sunday night and Monday night.
• free air freezing level 15,000 ft. Saturday and Saturday night, 14,000 ft. Sunday, then 15,000 ft. Sunday night through Tuesday.
• highs 72-78 lows 49-52.

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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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