_________________

Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column Losing A “Friend” Is Never Easy.

_____

And don’t forget my latest feature story in the continuing series on service club organizations called This Moose Isn’t Named Bullwinkle. And my new feature article about Contractors Electric called Is The Ground Wire The White One Or The Black One?

__________________

Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What does the acronym “USGS” stand for?  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.

________________

An upper air ridge of high pressure (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) is set up in such a way that it kept any major storm systems away from us, for a while. The chance of rain will return between Tuesday night and Wednesday as a cold front approaches the coast Wednesday. 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.

________________

Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 54 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 26 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter at Willamette Activity Center, Oakridge. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency .(LRAPA)

________________

Advisories: None at this time.

________________

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

• Partly cloudy with patchy AM fog, mostly sunny today, partly cloudy with patchy fog tonight and Tuesday AM, a mix of clouds and sun in the afternoon, becoming cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Rain Wednesday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), then showers likely (70%) at night.
• highs 64-58 lows 38-48.
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Thursday, just partly cloudy at night and Friday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Friday night,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday.
• highs 63-66 cooling to 60 Sunday lows 42-46. (seasonal averages high 55 low 36)

___

Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: Moderate-  63

Grass: Absent- 0

Reading as of: 3/4/15

Data courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

_________________

Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy with patchy AM fog, becoming sunny this afternoon, mostly clear with patchy fog late tonight,
• Sunny with patchy AM fog, increasing clouds to mostly cloudy Tuesday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of evening rain, rain likely (60%) late Tuesday night and Wednesday AM, showers Wednesday afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), then showers likely (70%) late Wednesday night.
• highs 72-62 lows 43-49 cooling to 45 Wednesday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday, just partly cloudy at night and Friday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday night,
• Cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Saturday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with (40%) chance of showers Sunday.
• highs 65-72 cooling back to 65 Sunday lows 44-50 cooling to 46 Saturday night. (seasonal averages high 57 low 39)

________________

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

• Mostly cloudy with patchy coastal fog while patchy inland AM fog, partly cloudy this afternoon and evening with patchy evening fog, mostly clear late tonight,
• Partly cloudy Tuesday AM, mostly cloudy in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with coastal rain likely (70%) while evening rain likely (60%) inland, a (30%) chance of rain late Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with AM rain, showers Wednesday afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), then  showers likely (70%) Wednesday night.
• highs near 62-59 lows 47-50 cooling to near 48 Wednesday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday, just partly cloudy Thursday night and Friday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday night,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Saturday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Sunday.
• highs 59-62 cooling to 60 Sunday lows 47-52 cooling to 48 Saturday night. (seasonal averages high 54 low 41)

________________

Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Sunny today, mostly clear tonight,
• A mix of clouds and sun Tuesday, becoming cloudy with a good (50%) chance of evening rain, rain likely (70%) late at night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain Wednesday, then showers Wednesday night.
• free air freezing level 11,000 ft. today through Tuesday, snow level 7,500 ft. Tuesday night, 7,000 ft. Wednesday, then 6,500 ft. Wednesday night.
• highs 60-48 lows 33-38 cooling to 34 Wednesday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Thursday, partly cloudy at night and Friday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday night,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday.
• snow level 6,000 ft. Thursday, free air freezing level 9,000 ft. Thursday night, 10,000 ft. Friday, snow level above 8,000 ft. Friday night and Saturday,  then 8,000 ft. Saturday night and Sunday.
• highs 50-58 cooling to near 52 Saturday cooling to 48 Sunday lows near 36.

________________

**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

________________