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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column A Hobby That Will “Stick” With You.

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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 “LORAN” 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 trough of low pressure (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows just offshore) is moving to the northwest and will bring a chance of rain. High pressure will strengthen behind it for some clearing, then a frontal system (shown at the far western part of the map) moves in Thursday for some more precipitation. Note: Mt. Ashland is still open Thursdays through Mondays. Willamette Pass and Hoodoo have officially announced that this ski season is over for both of them.

Spring begins officially at 3:45 PM Friday with the Vernal Equinox. There will be a total solar eclipse, but it won’t be visible in the United States.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 28 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 18 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:

• Partly cloudy with patchy AM fog, mostly sunny this afternoon, partly cloudy with patchy fog late tonight,
• Patchy AM and late night fog, partly cloudy Thursday and Thursday night,
• Patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Friday afternoon, then rain Friday night.
• highs 62-66 cooling back to 62 Friday lows 38-42.
• A mix of clouds and sun with (40%) chance of showers Saturday, just partly cloudy at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Sunday, becoming mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• A good (50%) chance of rain Monday, a good (50%) chance of showers at night,
• Then cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday.
• highs 60-63 cooling to near 55 Tuesday lows 38-43. (seasonal averages high 57 low 37)

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Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: Moderate-  65

Grass: low- 2

Reading as of: 3/17/15

Data courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with patchy fog this AM, mostly sunny this afternoon, mostly clear with patchy fog late tonight,
• Areas of AM fog, partly cloudy Thursday and Thursday night with patchy fog late,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday, then rain Friday night.
• highs 64-70 cooling to 63 Friday lows 38-45 cooling back to 42 Friday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday AM, just mostly cloudy Saturday afternoon and at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of afternoon rain Sunday, mostly cloudy with a  (30%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Monday, cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Tuesday.
• highs 65-68 cooling to near 60 Tuesday lows 38-42. (seasonal averages high 58 low 40)

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

• Mostly cloudy with patchy inland AM fog, mostly sunny this afternoon, mostly clear tonight with patchy inland fog late at night,
• Partly cloudy with patchy inland AM fog, partly cloudy  Thursday afternoon and Thursday night with patchy inland fog late,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday, evening rain, then rain likely (70%) Friday night.
• highs 58-60 cooling back to 58 Friday lows 46-48 cooling back to 46 Friday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday AM, just mostly cloudy Saturday afternoon through Sunday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with AM rain, rain likely (70%) Monday afternoon, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday.
• highs 60-56 lows 44-48. (seasonal averages high 54 low 42)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly sunny this AM, partly cloudy and just a bit warmer this afternoon, mostly clear tonight,
• Mostly sunny Thursday, partly cloudy Thursday night,
• More clouds with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday afternoon, becoming mostly cloudy with rain Friday night.
• free air freezing level 7,000 ft. today, 9,000 ft. tonight, 10,000 ft. Thursday, 9,000 ft. Thursday night, snow level 7,000 ft. Friday,  7,000 ft. falling to 5,500 ft. Friday night.
• highs 52-58 cooling to near 50 Friday lows 34-30.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers Saturday, just partly cloudy at night and Sunday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain or snow Sunday night,
• Rain and snow likely (60%) Monday, then rain and snow showers likely (60%) Monday night and Tuesday.
• snow level 4,000 ft. Saturday, free air freezing level 6,500 ft. Saturday night and Sunday, snow level 5,000 ft. Sunday night, 4,500 ft. Monday, then 3,500 ft. Monday night and Tuesday.
• highs 47-54 cooling to 43 Monday lows near 30.

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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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