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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) is over us bringing a continuing threat of showers and thunderstorms across Oregon. A frontal system moved through the Pacific Northwest spreading precipitation as it moved to the east. As the low moves away from us the chance of precipitation will go away with it by late Thursday afternoon.

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Advisories:

• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING WITH DRY FUELS FOR THE THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, 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 26 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter at Springfield, City Hall. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 48 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:

• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers and thunderstorms this evening, a slight (20%) chance of showers late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday, partly cloudy in the evening, just mostly cloudy Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Friday, partly cloudy Friday night and Saturday AM, mostly sunny in the afternoon, then mostly clear Saturday night.
• lows 56-54 highs 80-85.
• Partly cloudy in the AM, mostly sunny Sunday afternoon, mostly clear at night,
• Then mostly sunny Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, mostly clear each night.
• highs 88-85 lows near 57. (seasonal averages high 83 low 51)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with scattered thunderstorms this evening, a slight (20%) chance of showers late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy Thursday and in the evening, partly cloudy late at night,
• Mostly cloudy in the AM, sunny Friday afternoon, mostly clear Friday night,
• Sunny Saturday, then clear at night.
• lows 60-58 highs 75-85.
• Mostly sunny Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 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 isolated showers at the shore tonight while scattered inland showers this evening, a slight (20%) chance of showers late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy Thursday and Thursday night,
• Mostly cloudy Friday AM, sunny in the afternoon, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy late at night and Saturday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon, mostly clear in the evening, then mostly cloudy Saturday night.
• lows near 54 highs 64.
• Mostly cloudy Sunday AM, sunny in the afternoon, partly cloudy Sunday night,
• Then partly cloudy Monday through Wednesday.
• 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 a good (50%) chance of showers and thunderstorms this evening, a good (50%) chance of showers late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible, more in storms),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers, a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening, just partly cloudy late Thursday night,
• Partly cloudy and warmer Friday, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny Saturday, then mostly clear at night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. tonight through Thursday night, free air freezing level 12,000 ft. Friday, 13,000 ft. Friday night, then 15,000 ft. Saturday and Saturday night.
• lows near 48 highs 63-76.
• Then mostly sunny Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, mostly clear each night.
• free air freezing level 14,000 ft. Sunday, 15,000 ft. Sunday night through Tuesday night, then 16,000 ft. Wednesday.
• highs near 77 lows near 50.

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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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