_________________

Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column To Warn Or Not To Warn, Is That The Question?

_____

And don’t forget my latest feature story in the continuing series on service club organizations called This Moose Isn’t Named Bullwinkle.

__________________

Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is a “ fall line?” 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.

________________

The jet stream is sending moisture straight at us from over the Pacific Ocean. More fronts will follow to keep us in showers. A frontal system moved through dropping some rain Monday, but pushed through quickly enough to warm us up a bit more than expected. Another frontal system will approach the the Pacific Northwest Friday continuing our chances for rain. Note: Willamette Pass, Hoodoo, and Mt. Ashland are all still closed for now. They say they will be opening again when enough snow falls. Check their websites for conditions and specific schedules.

________________

Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 17 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter at HWY 99, Eugene. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA).

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 34 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter at Willamette Activity Center, Oakridge. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency .(LRAPA)

________________

Home Wood Heating Advisory:

Eugene/Springfield: GREEN – Burning is Allowed.

Oakridge: YELLOW – Burning is Cautioned Against.

(The use of Pellet stoves is always allowed.)

Advisory Courtesy of Lane Regional Protection Agency (LRAPA).

________________

Advisories:

• A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM UNTIL 7 PM TODAY FOR 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.

________________

Many people were glued to their TV screens to watch the Super Bowl Sunday, but early in the morning groundhogs were preparing their forecasts. Monday was Groundhog Day and I checked in with many of the groundhogs to see what they had for a forecast.The most famous groundhog ”Punxsutawney Phil” led the group that saw their shadow predicting 6 more weeks of Winter. The others in that group are Malverne Mel, Holtsville Hal, and Sun Prairie Jimmy. Those not seeing their shadow predicting an early Spring are Staten Island Chuck, General Lee, Buckeye Chuck, Sir Walter Wally, and Dunkirk Dave. Even Wiarton Willie from Ontario Canada predicted an early spring by not seeing his shadow. That’s 6 to 4 in favor of an early Spring.

The one groundhog who I haven’t mentioned is Spencer Butte Bob, my personal groundhog (Actually a plaster statue). It was overcast and dark Monday morning so Bob did not see his shadow predicting an early spring. Bob changes the ratio to 7 to 4 in favor of an early spring. I don’t know about you but I’d rather trust a prediction from a resident of the Pacific Northwest that any of the other groundhogs from elsewhere. Remember, these predictions are about as accurate as flipping a coin, but it is fun to check this out each year.

________________

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

• Mostly cloudy with rain today (0.25 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, patchy fog with a (40%) chance of rain late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible) ,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy fog and a good (50%) chance of rain Wednesday AM, a slight (20%) chance of rain in the afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) and evening, a good (50%) chance of rain late at night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Then mostly cloudy with rain Thursday and Thursday night.
• highs 52-56 lows 43-49.
• Mostly cloudy with rain Friday and Friday night,
• Rain likely (70%) Saturday, then rain Saturday night through Sunday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with showers likely (70%) Monday.
• highs 54-56 cooling to 53 Monday lows near 47. (seasonal averages high 49 low 35)

_________________

Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Rain today (0.50 in. of rain possible), cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) and Wednesday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Then mostly cloudy with rain Thursday and Thursday night.
• highs 54-59 cooling to 57 Thursday lows 46-50.
• Rain Friday and Friday night,
• Rain likely (60%) Saturday, rain Saturday night and Sunday, rain likely (70%) at night,
• Then showers likely (70%) Monday.
• highs 54-62 Sunday cooling to 57 Tuesday lows 48-50 cooling to 46 Sunday night. (seasonal averages high 52 low 37)

________________

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

• Cloudy with rain today (0.65 in. of rain possible), cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday, a (40%) chance of rain Wednesday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: S 15-20 mph increasing to S 20-30 mph late at night at the shore while S 10-15 mph inland, gusts to 40 mph late at night),
• Then mostly cloudy with rain and breezy Thursday and Thursday night.
• highs 56-60 lows 50-54.
• Mostly cloudy with rain and breezy Friday through Saturday, rain Saturday night through Sunday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with showers likely (70%) Monday.
• highs 57-62 cooling to 58 Monday lows 53-50. (seasonal averages high 52 low 40)

Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Cloudy with rain and snow today (0.75 in of rain possible), rain and snow likely (70%) this evening, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of AM rain, a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday afternoon, a slight (20%) chance of rain late at night,
• Cloudy with rain likely (70%) and breezy Thursday, then rain Thursday night.
• snow level 5,500 ft. today, 6,000 ft. tonight, 6,500 ft. Wednesday, 7,000 ft. Wednesday night, 8,000 ft. Thursday, then above 8,000 ft. Thursday night.
• highs 42-50 cooling to 47 Thursday lows 33-35.
• Rain Friday and Friday night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow Saturday, rain Saturday night through Sunday night,
• Then rain and snow showers likely (70%) Monday.
• snow level 8,000 ft. 8,000 ft. Friday, 7,500 ft. Friday night, 6,000 ft. Saturday, 6,500 ft. Saturday night, above 8,000 ft. Sunday, 8,000 ft. Sunday night, then 5,500 ft. Monday.
• highs 43-48 cooling to near 40 Monday lows 34-32.

________________

**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.

________________

Get your local Eugene-Springfield and Lane County news on-line at eugenedailynews.com

________________