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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 weekly weather quiz question for the last time. What does the acronym “USGS” stand for? Here is the correct answer. U.S. Geological Survey (Abbrev. USGS)- Is the Federal Agency chartered in 1879 by congress to classify public lands, and to examine the geologic structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain. As part of its mission, the USGS provides information and data on the Nation’s rivers and streams that are useful for mitigation of hazards associated with floods and droughts. 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 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 means  more rain for the rest of your weekend. Note: Mt. Ashland is open Thursdays through Mondays (closed Thursday, but re-opened Friday). 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.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 17 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter at Springfield City Hall. Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA).

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 34 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 today (0.25 in. of rain possible), tonight (0.75 in. of rain possible), and Sunday (0.25 in. of rain possible), cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain late Sunday night (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers at night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible).
• highs 62-60 lows 52-42.
• 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 60-64 lows 42-39 warming back to 42 Thursday night. (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:

• Cloudy with a (30%) chance of AM rain, rain this afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible), tonight (0.20 in. of rain possible), and Sunday (0.30 in. of rain possible), cloudy with evening showers likely (60%), a good (50%) chance of showers late Sunday night (0.15 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and warmer with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday,  a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday night.
• highs 66-58 warming 64 Monday lows 53-46.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance o showers 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 65-72 cooling to near 70 Friday lows 40-43. (seasonal averages high 57 low 39)

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

• Coastal rain this afternoon while rain likely (70%) inland this afternoon (0.35 in. of rain possible), rain tonight (0.45 in. of rain possible) and Sunday (0.55 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with evening showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of showers late Sunday night (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday night.
• highs 62-54 warming to 58 Monday lows 53-47.
• 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.
• 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:

• Mostly cloudy with rain this today (0.50 in. of rain possible), tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible), and Sunday (0.50 in. of rain possible), cloudy with evening showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of showers late Sunday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (20%) chance of showers Monday, then partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers at night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today, 8,000 ft. tonight, 6,500 ft. Sunday through Monday, then 7,500 ft. Monday night.
• highs 53-48 lows 39-35.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers 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, free air freezing level 9,000 ft. Wednesday night, 10,000 ft. Thursday and Thursday night, then snow level 7,500 ft. Friday.
• highs 50-55 cooling back to 52 Friday 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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