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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 Wednesday 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 19 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 19 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 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 patchy AM fog, a good (50%) chance of scattered showers, (0.10 in. of rain possible) today (Christmas Day), a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), patchy fog late tonight,
• Patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy Friday and Friday night with patchy fog late,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy fog and a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday AM, with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible), cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night.
• highs near 45 lows 36-34 warming back to 36 Saturday night.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (40%) chance of showers Sunday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night with patchy fog late,
• Patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy Monday and Monday night with patchy fog late,
• Mostly sunny with patchy fog Tuesday, mostly clear at night,
• Then mostly sunny with patchy fog Wednesday.
• highs 44-37 warming to 40 Wednesday lows 28-25. (seasonal averages high 45 low 33).

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of  showers today (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,500 ft.) this afternoon (Christmas Day), a (30%) chance of rain and snow showers this evening, a slight (20%) chance of showers late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM rain and snow showers, partly cloudy Friday afternoon, mostly cloudy in the evening, partly cloudy with areas of fog and freezing fog late Friday night,
• Mostly cloudy with areas of AM fog and freezing fog, a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon (snow level 3,000 ft.), mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday night.
• highs near 46 lows 35-32 warming to 38 Saturday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Sunday, a slight (20%) chance of rain and colder Sunday night,
• Then mostly sunny Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, mostly clear Monday night and Tuesday night.
• highs 46-38 warming to 42 Tuesday cooling to 38 Wednesday lows 26-23 warming back to 26 Tuesday night. (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 AM showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of afternoon showers  (0.10 in. of rain possible, afternoon snow level 2,000 ft.) this afternoon (Christmas Day), a slight (20%) chance of showers tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, evening snow level 2,000 ft.),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon, mostly cloudy in the evening, becoming partly cloudy late Friday night,
• Partly cloudy in the AM, becoming mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of coastal showers while a slight (20%) chance of showers inland  Saturday afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday night.
• highs near 50 lows 49-40 warming back to 44 Saturday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday, just mostly cloudy and colder at night,
• Then mostly sunny Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with mostly clear skies  Monday night and Tuesday night.
• highs 49-46 lows 34-32. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers this AM (Christmas Day), scattered rain and snow showers likely (70%) this afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible), a (40%) chance of snow showers tonight,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of snow Friday AM, just mostly cloudy in the evening, partly cloudy late Friday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Saturday, snow showers likely (60%) Saturday night.
• snow level 3,000 ft. today, 2,500 ft. tonight, 3,000 ft. Friday, free air freezing level 4,500 ft. Friday night, snow level 3,000 ft. Saturday, then 3,500 ft. Saturday night.
• highs 30-36 lows 24-17 warming to 27 Saturday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) 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, mostly clear Tuesday night.
• snow level 3,000 ft. Sunday, 2,500 ft. Sunday night, then free air freezing level at the surface Monday through Tuesday night, then 3,500 ft. Wednesday.
• highs 30-22 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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