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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 tilting and moving away from us and that is allowing an upper level low (shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) behind it to take over. A frontal system (still way off shore) is headed our way too and that means  more rain. Note: Mt. Ashland is open Thursdays through Mondays (closed yesterday, but re-opened today). 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 but there is no snow in the forecasts for the near future. Check their websites for conditions and any updates.

Just in case you didn’t notice today is Friday the 13th.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 26 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 10 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:

• Cloudy with rain likely (70%) late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy with rain Saturday through Sunday evening (0.50 in. of rain possible each period), a good (50%) chance of rain late Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of AM showers, a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday afternoon, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night.
• lows 52-42 highs 59-55 warming to 62 Monday.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday night,
• A (30%) chance of showers Wednesday, just partly cloudy at night,
• Mostly sunny Thursday, partly cloudy Thursday night,
• Then partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Friday.
• highs 60-63 lows 42-40. (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 with a (30%) chance of rain late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of AM rain, rain Saturday through Sunday, cloudy with evening showers likely (60%), a good (50%) chance of showers late Sunday night (0.30 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and warmer with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Monday night.
• lows 53-46 highs 66-56 warming 64 Monday.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday and Tuesday night,
• Partly cloudy Wednesday, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny Thursday, partly cloudy Thursday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday.
• highs 63-72 cooling to near 70 Friday lows near 42. (seasonal averages high 57 low 39)

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

• Cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible,
• Coastal rain Saturday while a good (50%) chance of AM rain inland and rain in the afternoon, rain Saturday night and Sunday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of coastal showers Sunday night while evening showers likely (70%) and rain likely (70%) inland late Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday, then just partly cloudy Monday night.
• lows 53-48 highs 62-54 warming to 58 Monday.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of  showers Tuesday night,
• Partly cloudy Wednesday, mostly clear Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy Thursday and at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday night.
• highs 57-63 cooling to near 60 Friday lows near 46. (seasonal averages high 54 low 41)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• A (%) chance of rain Saturday AM, rain Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening, showers likely (70%) late Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. tonight and Saturday, 7,500 ft. Saturday night and Sunday, 7,000 ft. Sunday night and Monday, then 7,500 ft. Monday night.
• lows 43-32 highs 50-45 warming back to 50 Monday.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers late at night and Wednesday, partly cloudy Wednesday night through Thursday night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday.
• snow level 7,500 ft. Tuesday, 6,500 ft. Tuesday night and Wednesday, 7,000 ft. Wednesday night, free air freezing level 10,000 ft. Thursday and Thursday night, then snow level 7,500 ft. Friday.
• highs 50-52 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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