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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 after late night and early morning fog 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, AND JACKSON 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. 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:

• Cloudy with areas of AM fog, mostly sunny this afternoon, mostly clear tonight,
• Mostly sunny Monday (Presidents’ Day) and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night, then partly cloudy with patchy fog late Tuesday night.
• highs 62-60 lows 37-40.
• Patchy AM fog, partly cloudy Wednesday through Thursday night, patchy fog late Thursday night and Friday AM, a mix of clouds and sun in the afternoon, partly cloudy with patchy fog Friday night and Saturday AM, then partly cloudy Saturday afternoon.
• Then mostly sunny Saturday.
• highs near 57 lows 43-39. (seasonal averages high 51 low 35)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with patchy AM fog, sunny this afternoon, mostly clear with patchy fog late tonight,
• Patchy AM fog, sunny and warmer Monday (Presidents’ Day), mostly clear Monday night,
• Patchy AM fog, sunny Tuesday, then mostly clear with patchy fog late at night.
• highs 59-65 cooling to 60 Tuesday lows 40-44.
• Partly cloudy with areas of fog and a slight (20%) chance of drizzle Wednesday, partly cloudy with areas of fog Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy with areas of AM fog, lingering afternoon fog, and late night fog  Thursday through Friday night,
• Then areas of morning fog and partly cloudy Saturday afternoon.
• highs 58-55 warming back to 58 Saturday lows near 45. (seasonal averages high 54 low 37)

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

• Sunny today and Monday (Presidents’ Day), mostly clear both nights,
• Patchy AM coastal fog,  sunny Tuesday, then partly cloudy with patchy fog late at night.
• highs 62-70 cooling back to 62 Tuesday lows 49-52 cooling to 46 Tuesday night.
• Partly cloudy Wednesday AM, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of drizzle in the afternoon, mostly cloudy Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy Thursday through Friday, then mostly cloudy Friday night and Saturday.
• highs near 57 lows 45-48. (seasonal averages high 53 low 40)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Sunny today, mostly clear and breezy (Wind: E 10-15 mph increasing to E 15-25 mph late) tonight,
• Mostly sunny and breezy (Wind: E 15-25 mph decreasing to E 10-15 mph in the afternoon) Monday (Presidents’ Day), mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny Tuesday, then mostly clear Tuesday night.
• free air freezing level 10,000 ft. today through Monday night, 10,000 ft. rising to 11,000 ft. Tuesday, then 11,000 ft. Tuesday night.
• highs 56-52 lows 34-29 warming back to 33 Tuesday night.
• Mostly sunny Wednesday, partly cloudy at night,
• Partly cloudy Thursday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Mostly sunny Friday and Saturday, partly cloudy Friday night.
• free air freezing level 10,000 ft. Wednesday, 9,000 ft. Wednesday night and Thursday, snow level 7,000 ft. Thursday night, free air freezing level  7,500 ft. Friday, 7,000 ft. Friday night, then 6,000 ft. Saturday.
• highs near 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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