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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column When A Hat Isn’t Just A Hat.

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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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Sorry no winner this week. Here is my weekly weather quiz question for the last time. What is an “Omega High?” No, it has nothing to do with recent Oregon legislation. Try again. Here is the correct answer. An Omega High is a warm high aloft which has become displaced and is on the polarward side of the jet stream. It frequently occurs in the late winter and early spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The name comes from its resemblance to the Greek letter, Omega, when analyzed on upper air charts. It is an example of a blocking high. (It can act like a protective barrier keeping storms from coming through to us.) I’ll have a new weekly weather quiz question for you starting Monday. 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 high pressure ridge (Shaded “Arch” shape) had been keeping our airflow from the north spreading much colder air over the Pacific Northwest. The airflow is shifting to onshore as the ridge flattens out and is warming us up to more normal temperatures. Good new skiers! Hoodoo is now open and Willamette Pass is opening this weekend. Mt. Ashland has already been in operation.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 96 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter at Amazon Park, Eugene. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 73 in the Moderate 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: YELLOW – Burning is Cautioned Against.

Oakridge: YELLOW – Burning is Cautioned Against.

(The use of Pellet stoves is always allowed.) Advisory Courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

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Advisories:

• AN AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM THURSDAY FOR CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, THE EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS, JACKSON COUNTY, THE KLAMATH BASIN, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN, CENTRAL AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.
• 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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Your College Football Weather Forecast: Monday January 12th 2015 –College Football Playoff Championship Game Number 2 Oregon Ducks vs Number 4 Ohio State Buckeyes at Texas Stadium Kickoff: 5:30 PM PST– Too Early For A Preliminary Weather Forecast.

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

• Mostly cloudy with patchy AM freezing fog today, a mix of clouds and sun this afternoon, mostly cloudy with patchy fog tonight,
• Cloudy with Sunday AM patchy fog and a (30%) chance of rain, rain likely (60%) in the afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain late Sunday night,
• Cloudy with AM rain likely (70%), a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday afternoon, then mostly cloudy with patchy fog Monday night.
• highs 46-52 lows 35-42 cooling to 39 Monday night.
•  A mix of clouds and sun Tuesday, mostly cloudy with patchy fog at night,
• Just mostly cloudy Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Rain likely (60%) Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Thursday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Friday.
• highs 50-52 lows 34-40. (seasonal averages high 46 low 34).

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy with areas of fog and freezing fog this AM, partly cloudy with patchy lingering afternoon and evening fog, mostly cloudy with areas of fog late tonight,
• Areas of AM fog, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, a (30%) chance of evening showers mostly cloudy with patchy fog and a slight (20%) chance of rain at night,
•  Mostly cloudy with lingering fog and a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday, then mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Monday night.
• highs 40-56 lows 38-44 cooling to near 40 Monday night.
• Mostly cloudy Tuesday, mostly cloudy with patchy fog Tuesday night,
• Cloudy Wednesday, cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain at night,
• Cloudy with rain likely (60%) Thursday and Thursday night,
• Then cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Friday.
• highs 56-52 lows 38-42. (seasonal averages high 48 low 36)

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

• Partly cloudy with areas of inland AM fog, partly cloudy with patchy lingering fog and warmer this afternoon, partly cloudy with patchy inland fog this evening, areas of fog late  tonight and Sunday AM, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain in the afternoon, a (30%) chance of rain at night with patchy fog late,
• Patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday, then mostly cloudy with patchy fog at night.
• highs 53-57 lows 44-50 cooling to 46 Monday night.
• Just mostly cloudy Tuesday, mostly cloudy with patchy fog late at night,
• Mostly cloudy Wednesday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Then rain likely (60%) Thursday and at night,
• Then cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Friday.
• highs 58-54 lows 47-50 cooling to 46 Thursday night. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• A mix of clouds and sun and warmer today, partly cloudy this evening, mostly cloudy late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow Sunday, cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain in the evening, a slight (20%) chance of rain late Sunday night,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) of AM rain, a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday afternoon, then just mostly cloudy Monday night.
• free air freezing level 6,000 ft. today and tonight, snow level 5,000 ft. rising to 6,000 ft. Sunday afternoon, 8,000 ft. Sunday night and Monday, then free air freezing level 9,000 ft. Monday night.
• highs 38-42 lows 28-36.
• Partly cloudy Tuesday through Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain likely (70%) Thursday and at night,
• Then a good (50%) chance of showers Friday.
• free air freezing level 9,000 ft. Tuesday, 10,000 ft. Tuesday night, 9,000 ft. Wednesday, snow level 7,500 ft. Wednesday night, 7,000 ft. Thursday, 6,000 ft. Thursday night, then 5,500 ft. Friday.
• highs 49-38 lows 29-32 cooling to 30 Thursday night.

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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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