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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column If You Don’t Like The Weather… Move!

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

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Here is my weekly weather quiz question for the last time. What is a “parhelion?”  Here is the correct answer. A Parhelion is the scientific name for sun dogs. Either of two colored luminous spots that appear at roughly 22 degrees on both sides of the sun at the same elevation. They are caused by the refraction of sunlight passing through ice crystals. They are most commonly seen during winter in the middle latitudes and are exclusively associated with cirriform clouds. They are also known as mock suns. 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 air ridge of high pressure (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) is moving closer and getting stronger. This means more sunshine and dry weather for the rest of the weekend through next week. Note: Mt. Ashland is open Thursdays through Mondays. Willamette Pass and Hoodoo 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.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 40 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 12 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: YELLOW – Burning is Cautioned Against.

(The use of Pellet stoves is always allowed.)

Advisory Courtesy of Lane Regional Protection Agency (LRAPA).

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Advisories:

• AN AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON MONDAY FOR CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, THE EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS, JACKSON COUNTY, THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE SOUTH OREGON CASCADES, AND THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS.
• 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. 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:

• Partly cloudy with patchy fog this evening, mostly cloudy and colder with areas of fog late tonight,
• Cloudy with areas of AM fog, mostly sunny Sunday afternoon, mostly clear Sunday night,
• Mostly sunny Monday (Presidents’ Day), mostly clear at night,
• Partly cloudy Tuesday, then mostly clear at night.
• lows 36-42 highs near 59.
• Mostly sunny Wednesday, partly cloudy at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Thursday and Friday, partly cloudy both nights,
• Then mostly sunny Saturday.
• highs 58-56 lows near 42. (seasonal averages high 51 low 35)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy with patchy fog late tonight,
• Partly cloudy with patchy AM fog, sunny Sunday afternoon, mostly clear with patchy fog late at night,
• Patchy AM fog, sunny and warmer Monday (Presidents’ Day), mostly clear Monday night,
• Patchy AM fog, sunny Tuesday, then mostly clear at night.
• lows 40-44 highs 59-65 cooling to 60 Tuesday.
• Partly cloudy with areas of AM fog, sunny Wednesday afternoon, partly cloudy with areas of fog Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy with areas of fog Thursday through Friday, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy with areas of fog late at night,
• Then areas of morning fog, partly cloudy Saturday afternoon.
• highs near 56 lows 43-46. (seasonal averages high 54 low 37)

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

• Partly cloudy tonight,
• Sunny Sunday and Monday (Presidents’ Day), mostly clear both nights,
• Mostly sunny Tuesday, then mostly clear at night.
• lows 43-53 cooling to 46 Tuesday night highs 62-70 cooling back to 62 Tuesday.
• Partly cloudy Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy Thursday through Friday, then mostly cloudy Friday night and Saturday.
• highs near 57 lows near 47. (seasonal averages high 53 low 40)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Partly cloudy tonight,
• Sunny Sunday, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny and breezy (Wind: E 15-25 mph) Monday (Presidents’ Day), mostly clear Monday night,
• Mostly sunny Tuesday, then mostly clear at night.
• free air freezing level 10,000 ft. tonight, 11,000 ft. Sunday through Monday night, 11,000 ft. rising to 12,000 ft. Tuesday, then 11,000 ft. Tuesday night.
• lows 32-29 warming back to 32 Tuesday night highs 56-50 rising to 53 Tuesday.
• Mostly sunny Wednesday, partly cloudy Wednesday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Thursday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Friday, partly cloudy Friday night,
• Then mostly sunny Saturday.
• free air freezing level 10,000 ft. Wednesday, 9,000 ft. Wednesday night, snow level 6,500 ft. Thursday, 5,500 ft. Thursday night, free air freezing level  6,000 ft. Friday, 7,500 ft. Friday night, then 7,000 ft. Saturday.
• highs 54-50 lows near 32.

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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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