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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 moving away from us and that will allow an upper level low (shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) behind it to take over. A frontal system produced the chance of showers ahead of it and moves east of us. High pressure strengthens for the end of the week returning the dry weather, but more rain is in the offing for your weekend.  Note: Mt. Ashland is open Thursdays through Mondays. Willamette Pass has officially announced that this ski season is over for them. Hoodoo is still closed for now and probably will also call the season over soon. They say they will be opening again when enough snow falls. Check their websites for conditions and any updates.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 23 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 35 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 AM and late night fog, partly cloudy today and tonight,
• Patchy AM fog, a mix of clouds and sun Friday afternoon, becoming cloudy with rain rain likely (60%) Friday night,
• Cloudy with rain Saturday and at night.
• highs 65-60 lows 42-48.
• Cloudy with rain Sunday, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of showers Monday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• A (30%) chance of showers Tuesday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday.
• highs 57-63 cooling to near 60 Wednesday lows near 43. (seasonal averages high 56 low 37)

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Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: High-  352

Grass: Absent- 0

Reading as of: 3/11/15

Data courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy this AM, sunny this afternoon, mostly clear in the evening, partly cloudy with patchy fog late tonight and Friday AM, becoming mostly cloudy Friday afternoon, a good (50%) chance of rain late Friday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with rain Saturday and Saturday night.
• highs 68-60 lows 45-52.
• Mostly cloudy with rain Sunday, rain likely (60%) and colder at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday, a (30%) chance of showers Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday.
• highs 62-66 cooling back to 62 Wednesday lows 46-42. (seasonal averages high 57 low 39)

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

• Patchy AM fog, sunny this afternoon, partly cloudy with patchy inland fog late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy inland fog Friday AM, mostly cloudy in the afternoon, cloudy with coastal rain at night while inland rain likely (70%)  late Friday night,
• Cloudy with rain Saturday and Saturday night.
• highs 60-56 lows 48-53.
• Mostly cloudy with rain Sunday, a (40%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday through Tuesday, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday night and Wednesday.
• highs 56-60 cooling to 58 Wednesday lows near 47. (seasonal averages high 54 low 41)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy this AM, mostly sunny this afternoon, partly cloudy tonight and Friday, becoming mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain late Friday night,
• Cloudy with rain Saturday and Saturday night.
• free air freezing level 7,500 ft. rising to 9,000 ft. this afternoon, 11,000 ft. tonight, 12,000 ft. falling to 10,000 ft. Friday afternoon, snow level above 8,000 ft. Friday night and Saturday, then 8,000 ft. Saturday night.
• highs 55-60 cooling back to 55 Saturday lows 32-40 cooling to 38 Saturday night.
• Cloudy with rain Sunday, rain likely (70%) Sunday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of showers Monday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday and at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Wednesday.
• snow level 7,000 ft. Sunday, 7,500 ft. Sunday night and Monday, 8,000 ft. Monday night, 7,500 ft. Tuesday, 7,000 ft. Tuesday night, then 7,500 ft. Wednesday.
• highs 47-52 lows 35-32.

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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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