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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column We Don’t Have Pets, They Have Us.

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And don’t forget my latest feature story in the continuing series on service club organizations called “Assistance” Is Their First Name.

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Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is “The Saffir-Simpson Scale?” 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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Well, it happened again. The next frontal system slowed down and we ended up with clouds and sunshine and no serious showers Tuesday. The front showed up and that explains today’s rain. Christmas Day itself should have a 50/50 chance of showers.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 8 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 8 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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Home Wood Heating Advisory:

Eugene/Springfield: GREEN – Burning is Allowed.

Oakridge: GREEN – Burning is Allowed.

(The use of Pellet stoves is always allowed.)

Advisory Courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

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Advisories:

• A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM THURSDAY FOR THE OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS.
• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM THIS EVENING FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES, AND THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS.
• A FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES TO BE IN EFFECT FOR THE COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE AFFECTING COOS COUNTY. IF YOU LIVE NEAR OR TRAVEL NEAR THIS RIVER YOU ARE ADVISED TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS BECAUSE FLOODING OVER THE RIVERS BANKS IS OCCURRING.
• NOTE: FOR FLOOD AND OTHER WARNING UPDATES GO TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Watches, Warnings, and Advisories  SITE, FLOOD WARNING SECTION.
• A HEALTH ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR THE PRESENCE OF BLUE-GREEN ALGAE AT LOST CREEK LAKE , LOCATED 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF MEDFORD ON THE ROGUE RIVER IN JACKSON COUNTY AND AT DEVILS LAKE IN LINCOLN COUNTY. THE TOXIC ALGAE BLOOM MEANS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT DRINK OR HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE AFFECTED WATER AND THAT ALSO GOES FOR ANY PETS.

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

• Mostly cloudy with rain this AM mixed with snow above 1,000 ft. , showers this afternoon (0.25 in. of rain possible), showers and colder tonight (Christmas Eve) with patchy fog late (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Patchy AM fog, a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers, a (40%) chance of afternoon showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) Thursday (Christmas Day), mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers at night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Patchy AM fog, a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) Friday, then mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Friday night.
• highs near 45 lows 38-34.
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday, showers likely (60%) Saturday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night with patchy fog late,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy fog Monday AM and Monday night,
• Then mostly sunny with patchy fog Tuesday.
• highs 44-40 lows 35-28. (seasonal averages high 45 low 33).

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with rain today (0.20 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,500 ft. falling to 2,000 ft. this afternoon), rain and snow showers (0.15 in. of rain possible, 1-2 in. of snow possible, snow level 2,000 ft.) tonight (Christmas Eve),
• Mostly cloudy with AM rain and snow showers, a (30%) chance of rain and snow showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible, snow level 1,500 ft. rising to 2,000 ft.) Thursday (Christmas Day), a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers Thursday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft. falling to 1,000 ft. late at night),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM rain and snow showers, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possiblesnow level 700 ft. rising to 2,000 ft. in the afternoon), a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, then partly cloudy with areas of fog and freezing fog late at night.
• highs near 45 lows 36-32.
• Mostly cloudy with areas of AM fog and freezing fog, partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Saturday night and Sunday, a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night,
• Then mostly sunny Monday and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night,
• highs 45-38 lows 36-25. (seasonal averages high 47 low 36)

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

• Mostly cloudy with rain today (0.30 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.), showers (0.20 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.) tonight (Christmas Eve),
• Mostly cloudy with AM coastal showers and a good (50%) chance of afternoon showers while AM inland rain and snow showers and a good (50%) chance of inland rain and snow showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 1,500 ft. rising to 2,000 ft. in the afternoon) Thursday (Christmas Day), a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of coastal showers while mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM inland rain and snow showers then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of inland afternoon showers Friday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of  evening showers, then just partly cloudy  late Friday night.
• highs 49-52 lows 43-40.
• Sunny in the AM, partly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday night and Sunday, mostly cloudy at night,
• Then mostly sunny Monday and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night.
• highs 50-46 lows 44-34. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with AM rain, rain and snow showers this afternoon (0.50 in. of rain possible, 2-5 in. of snow possible), snow showers (1-4 in. of snow possible) and colder tonight (Christmas Eve),
• Mostly cloudy with snow showers likely (70%) Thursday AM (Christmas Day), a good (50%) chance of snow showers in the afternoon and Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (40%) chance of snow showers Friday AM, a slight (20%) chance of snow showers in the afternoon, then just mostly cloudy Friday night.
• snow level 3,000 ft. today, at the surface tonight through Friday,then free air freezing level 4,500 ft. Friday night.
• highs 37-32 lows near 25.
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of snow showers Saturday, snow showers likely (70%) Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of snow showers Sunday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers at night,
• Just partly cloudy Monday and Monday night,
• Then mostly sunny Tuesday.
• snow level 2,500 ft. Saturday through Sunday night, then free air freezing level at the surface Monday through Tuesday.
• highs 36-27 warming to 33 Tuesday lows 26-18.

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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 EugeneDailyNews.com.

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