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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 level high pressure ridge (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) will keep us in sunshine for another day. An upper level trough of low pressure (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows on previous graphic) will be moving into the Pacific Northwest and will bring a chance of rain with it. High pressure will strengthen behind it for some clearing, then a frontal system (shown at the far western part of the map) moves in Friday 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 21 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:

• Patchy AM and late night fog, partly cloudy today, mostly cloudy tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy AM fog with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain Friday night (0.35 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: S 5-10 mph increasing to S 15-25 mph late at night),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of afternoon thunderstorms Saturday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, then just partly cloudy late Saturday night.
• highs 67-58 lows 40-45 cooling to 38 Saturday night.
• Cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, rain Sunday night and Monday, rain likely (70%) Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday and Tuesday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Wednesday.
• highs 62-55 warming to near 60 Wednesday lows 44-42. (seasonal averages high 57 low 37)

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Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: High-  106

Grass: Absent- 0

Reading as of: 3/17/15

Data courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Areas of AM fog, partly cloudy today and tonight with patchy fog late,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain in the evening, rain and a slight (20%) chance thunderstorms late Friday night (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Saturday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), just mostly cloudy Saturday night.
• highs 69-63 lows 44-40.
• Partly cloudy Sunday AM, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of afternoon rain, rain Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Monday, showers likely (70%) at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday and Tuesday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday.
• highs 65-57 warming to near 62 Wednesday lows 43-40. (seasonal averages high 58 low 40)

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

• Partly cloudy with patchy inland AM fog, partly cloudy  this afternoon and tonight with patchy inland fog late,
• Cloudy with afternoon coastal rain likely (60%) while a (30%) chance of rain inland Friday afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Friday night (0.35 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), then just mostly cloudy Saturday night.
• highs 58-60 lows 48-45.
• Partly cloudy Sunday AM, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, rain Sunday night,
• Showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Monday, showers likely (70%) Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy with showers likely (70%) Tuesday, a (30%) chance of showers at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday.
• highs 58-55 warming to 57 Wednesday lows 47-45. (seasonal averages high 54 low 42)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly sunny this AM, partly cloudy this afternoon and tonight,
• A mix of clouds and sun Friday AM, becoming cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday afternoon, rain Friday night,
• Mostly cloudy with AM rain and snow showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Saturday afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers in the evening, then just partly cloudy at night.
• free air freezing level 9,000 ft. today and tonight, snow level 7,000 ft. Friday afternoon, 7,000 ft. falling to 5,500 ft. late Friday night, 4,500 ft. Saturday and in the evening, then free air freezing level 5,500 ft. late Saturday night.
• highs 58-45 lows 34-30.
• Mostly cloudy Sunday, becoming mostly cloudy with rain Sunday night,
• Rain and snow Monday, rain and snow likely (70%) Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Tuesday and at night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow Wednesday.
• free air freezing level 6,500 ft. rising to 7,000 ft. Sunday afternoon, snow level 5,500 ft. Sunday night, 4,500 ft. Monday, 3,500 ft. Monday night and Tuesday, then 4,500 ft. Wednesday.
• highs 52-39 warming to 45 Wednesday lows 32-27.

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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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