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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 sitting over us keeping storms away. The ridge has flattened out enough to be called a “dirty ridge” and it will allow a frontal system to nose its way through into Oregon. Good new skiers! Hoodoo and Willamette Pass, along with Mt. Ashland are open for your skiing pleasure.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 43 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 30 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: 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:

• Partly cloudy with patchy fog this evening, mostly cloudy with areas of fog late tonight,
• Cloudy with patchy fog and a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday AM, rain likely (70%) in the afternoon and evening (0.25 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain late Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Monday, cloudy with patchy evening fog,  areas of fog late Monday night,
•  Areas of AM fog, mostly cloudy Tuesday afternoon, mostly cloudy with patchy fog at night.
• lows 35-43 cooling back to 35 Tuesday night highs 48-52 cooling back to 48 Tuesday.
• Just mostly cloudy Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Thursday night and Friday, then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Friday night and Saturday.
• highs near 52 lows 40-37. (seasonal averages high 46 low 34).

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy with patchy fog this evening, mostly cloudy with areas of fog late tonight and Sunday AM, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain in the afternoon, cloudy with patchy fog and a slight (20%) chance of rain late at night,
• Mostly cloudy with areas of fog and a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday AM, just mostly cloudy in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy with areas of fog Tuesday AM, mostly cloudy in the afternoon, then mostly cloudy with patchy fog Tuesday night.
• lows 38-44 cooling back to 38 Tuesday night highs 52-50 warming to 53 Tuesday.
• Mostly cloudy Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain at night,
• Rain likely (60%) Thursday, showers likely (60%) Thursday night,
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Friday and Friday night,
• Then cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday.
• highs near 52 lows 43-40. (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 patchy inland fog this evening while a slight (20%) chance of coastal rain  late tonight,
• Areas of AM fog, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, cloudy with areas of fog and a slight (20%) chance of rain late Sunday night,
• Areas of fog with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday AM, mostly cloudy in the afternoon and at night with patchy fog late Monday night,
• Just mostly cloudy with patchy fog Tuesday and at night.
• lows 44-50 cooling to 47 Tuesday night highs 55-59.
• Mostly cloudy Wednesday, a good (50%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Then rain likely (70%) Thursday, showers likely (70%) at night,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Friday and Friday night,
• Then cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday.
• highs 57-54 lows 49-46. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Partly cloudy this evening, mostly cloudy late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow Sunday (0.10 in. of rain possible), cloudy with evening rain likely (60%), a (40%) chance of rain late Sunday night and Monday AM, a slight (20%) chance of afternoon rain,  then just partly cloudy Monday night through Tuesday night.
• free air freezing level 7,000 ft. tonight, snow level 5,000 ft. Sunday, 8,000 ft. Sunday night, above 8,000 ft. Monday, free air freezing level 11,000 ft. Monday night, 12,000 ft. Tuesday, then 10,000 ft. Tuesday night.
• lows 29-34 cooling to 30 Monday night and Tuesday night highs 40-46.
• Partly cloudy Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain likely (70%) Thursday, rain and snow likely (60%) at night,
• A good (50%) chance of rain and snow Friday, a (40%) chance of rain and snow Friday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain and snow Saturday.
• free air freezing level 10,000 ft. Wednesday, snow level above 8,000 ft. Wednesday night, 7,000 ft. Thursday, 6,000 ft. Thursday night, 5,500 ft. Friday, then 5,000 ft. Friday night and Saturday.
• highs 49-40 lows 36-29.

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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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