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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 trough of low pressure (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) will be moving into the Pacific Northwest and will bring a chance of rain with it. A frontal system moves in Friday for some more precipitation. Note: Mt. Ashland is closed now waiting for more snow. They will open one last time this season on Saturday March 28th, snow or now snow, for their “Big Mountain Bash.” Willamette Pass and Hoodoo have officially announced that this ski season is over for both of them.

Spring begins officially at 3:45 PM today 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 27 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 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:

• Partly cloudy with patchy fog this AM, becoming cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain this afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible), rain tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of afternoon thunderstorms Saturday (0.10 in. of rain possible), partly cloudy and colder late Saturday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, then rain Sunday night.
• highs 64-58 warming to 62 Sunday lows 45-38 warming to 45 Sunday night.
• Mostly cloudy with rain Monday, rain likely (70%) Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday and Tuesday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of showers Wednesday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday.
• highs 56-63 lows near 42. (seasonal averages high 57 low 38)

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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:

• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain this afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain this evening, showers late tonight (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 in the evening, partly cloudy Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy Sunday AM, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of afternoon rain, rain Sunday night.
• highs near 65 lows 44-40 warming to 44 Sunday night.
• Mostly cloudy with showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Monday afternoon and evening (small hail possible), showers late at night,
• Mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) Tuesday, cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy Wednesday, then partly cloudy Wednesday night and Thursday.
• highs 55-70 lows near 40. (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 afternoon coastal rain likely (60%) while a (30%) chance of rain inland this afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), coastal rain with a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms this evening while evening rain inland, showers late tonight (0.35 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), just mostly cloudy in the evening, partly cloudy Saturday night and Sunday AM, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, rain with a slight (20%) chance of isolated evening thunderstorms, then rain Sunday night.
• highs 60-58 lows 48-46 warming back to 48 Sunday.
• Showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Monday (small hail possible), showers Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy with showers likely (70%) Tuesday, cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers at night,
• Just mostly cloudy Wednesday, then partly cloudy Wednesday night and Thursday.
• highs 53-63 lows near 45. (seasonal averages high 54 low 42)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• A mix of clouds and sun this AM, becoming cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain this afternoon, rain tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible),
• 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,
• Partly cloudy in the AM, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, then becoming mostly cloudy with rain Sunday night.
• snow level 7,500 ft. this afternoon, 6,000 ft. tonight, 4,500 ft. Saturday and Saturday night, free air freezing level 6,500 ft. Sunday AM, snow level 5,500 ft. Sunday afternoon and Sunday night.
• highs 55-44 warming to 52 Sunday lows 32-30 warming back to 32 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, a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers  at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers Wednesday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday.
• free air freezing level snow level 4,500 ft. Monday, 3,500 ft. Monday night and Tuesday, 5,500 ft. Wednesday, then 6,500 ft. Wednesday night and Thursday.
• highs 40-50 lows 27-32.

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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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