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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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An upper level low  (Shaded “U” shape) is helping to generate more wet weather, but behind it the High pressure ridge (Shaded “Arch” shape on previous graphic) will keep our temperatures cool. A frontal system moved through Oregon today bringing rain with it and colder air behind it. It looks like another frontal system will move in from the northwest Sunday with dry weather behind it.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 13 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter at Amazon Park, Eugene. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 7 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 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 showers likely (70%) and colder tonight (Christmas Eve) with patchy fog late (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of 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 fog late,
• Patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) Friday, then mostly cloudy in the evening with patchy fog late Friday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night.
• lows 37-34 highs 44-37 warming to 40 Wednesday.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (40%) 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,
• Mostly sunny with patchy fog Tuesday, mostly clear at night,
• Then mostly sunny with patchy fog Wednesday.
• 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 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 afternoon (Christmas Day), a (30%) chance of rain and snow showers Thursday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 2,500 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 possible snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 3,000 ft. in the afternoon), a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, then partly cloudy with areas of fog and freezing fog late at night,
• Partly cloudy with areas of AM fog and freezing fog, partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Saturday night.
• lows 36-32 highs near 45.
• Mostly cloudy with a (%) chance of showers Sunday, a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night,
• Then mostly sunny Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday, mostly clear Monday night and Tuesday 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 showers (0.20 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.) tonight (Christmas Eve),
• Mostly cloudy with AM showers and a good (50%) chance of afternoon 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 (30%) 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 showers Friday into the evening (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of  evening showers, becoming partly cloudy late Friday night,
• Sunny in the AM, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon through Saturday night.
• lows 43-40 warming to 44 Saturday night highs near 50.
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Sunday, just mostly cloudy at night,
• Then mostly sunny Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with mostly clear skies  Monday night and Tuesday night.
• highs 50-46 lows 38-32. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with snow showers (1-3 in. of snow possible) and colder tonight (Christmas Eve),
• Mostly cloudy with snow showers likely (60%) Thursday AM (Christmas Day), a good (50%) chance of snow showers in the afternoon (1 in. of snow possible) and Thursday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers Friday, just mostly cloudy in the evening, partly cloudy late Friday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of snow showers Saturday, snow showers likely (60%) Saturday night.
• snow level 2,500 ft. tonight through Friday, 4,500 ft. Friday night, 3,000 ft. Saturday, then 3,500 ft. Saturday night.
• lows 26-23 warming back to 26 Saturday night highs 30-36.
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers Sunday, a slight (20%) chance of snow showers at night,
• Just partly cloudy Monday and Monday night,
• Then mostly sunny Tuesday and Wednesday.
• snow level 2,500 ft. Saturday through Sunday night, then free air freezing level at the surface Monday through Tuesday.
• highs 30-25 warming to 35 Wednesday lows 14-20.

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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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