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

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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.

And my new feature article about Contractors Electric called Is The Ground Wire The White One Or The Black One?

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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.

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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.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 33 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 40 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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Advisories: None at this time.

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

• Patchy fog and low clouds this AM, partly cloudy this afternoon, becoming cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening rain, a good (50%) chance of rain late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Rain Wednesday (0.20 in. of rain possible), showers likely (70%) at night (0.15 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and at night with patchy fog late.
• highs 65-58 warming back to 65 Thursday lows 48-40.
• Partly cloudy Friday with patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Friday night,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday, rain likely (70%) at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday, partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Sunday night,
• Then partly cloudy Monday.
• highs 68-60 lows 48-40. (seasonal averages high 55 low 37)

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Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: High-  117

Grass: Absent- 0

Reading as of: 3/7/15

Data courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

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

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

• Partly cloudy with patchy fog this AM, mostly cloudy this afternoon, cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with AM coastal rain while AM rain likely (60%) inland, showers Wednesday afternoon (0.15 in. of rain possible), evening  showers likely (60%), then a (40%) chance of showers late Wednesday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday AM, just partly cloudy in the afternoon and Thursday night.
• highs 60-58 warming back to 60 Thursday lows 52-48.
• Mostly cloudy Friday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday night,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday, rain Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Sunday, a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Then partly cloudy Monday.
• highs 64-58 warming to 62 Monday lows 47-50 cooling to 46 Sunday night. (seasonal averages high 54 low 41)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly sunny this AM, a mix of clouds and sun this afternoon, becoming cloudy with a (30%) chance of evening rain, rain likely (70%) late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with rain and cooler Wednesday, rain in the evening, rain and snow showers late Wednesday night,
• AM clouds, a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday, just partly cloudy at night.
• free air freezing level 11,000 ft. today, snow level 7,000 ft. tonight, 6,000 ft. Wednesday, 5,500 ft Wednesday night and Thursday, free air freezing level 11,000 ft. Thursday night.
• highs 60-46 warming to 52 Thursday lows 37-33.
• Partly cloudy Friday, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Friday night,
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Saturday, rain likely (70%)  at night,
• Mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) Sunday, partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Sunday night,
• Then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday.
• snow level 11,000 ft. Friday, snow level above 8,000 ft. Friday night and Saturday, 8,000 ft. Saturday night, 7,000 ft. Sunday, 6,000 ft. Sunday night, then 7,500 ft. Monday.
• highs 59-46 warming to near 50 Monday lows 37-32.

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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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