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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column It’s 363 Miles Long, But What Is It?

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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.

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And my 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 is “Zero Datum?” 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 low pressure trough (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) is controlling our weather now. A frontal system moved through the Pacific Northwest spreading rain throughout. Another frontal system will help keep us wet through the Easter weekend. The Full “Pink” Moon occurs at 5:06 AM Saturday and there will be a total Lunar Eclipse that will be visible in the Pacific Northwest just before dawn. By the look of it a thick cloud cover will be obscuring our view of the moon, but if the clouds do open it is safe to look directly at the Lunar Eclipse.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 16 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 7 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 8 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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:

• Mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this evening, a good (50%) chance of showers late evening, a (40%) chance of showers late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible, more in storms, small hail possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of AM showers, showers likely (60%) with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon and evening (0.10 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of showers late Wednesday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy Thursday, partly cloudy at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday AM, mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) in the afternoon, then a (40%) chance of rain Friday night.
• lows 38-36 warming to 40 Friday night highs 56-60.
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers  Saturday, a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night through Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday and at night,
• Then a (40%) chance of rain Tuesday.
• highs 58-55 warming back to 58 Tuesday lows near 39. (seasonal averages high 58 low 38)

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Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: Very High-  1187

Grass: Absent- 0

Reading as of: 3/28/15

Data courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with increasing showers becoming likely (60%) with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this evening (0.20 in. of rain possible, small hail possible, snow level 3,500 ft. falling to 3,000 ft), a good (50%) chance of showers late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 3,000 ft.),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers, a good (50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,500 ft. rising to 3,000 ft.), a (30%) chance of showers Wednesday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 3,500 ft. falling to 2,500 ft. late),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday, then just partly cloudy Thursday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday, then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Friday night.
•  lows 39-37 highs 55-58.
• Mostly cloudy with a (50%) chance of showers Saturday through Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers Monday AM, then a (30%) chance of showers in the afternoon and at night,
• Then just mostly cloudy Tuesday.
• highs 60-55 warming to 64 Tuesday lows 42-38 warming back to 42 Sunday night. (seasonal averages high 60 low 40)

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

•  Mostly cloudy with increasing coastal showers and a slight (20%) chance of isolated evening thunderstorms while scattered inland showers and isolated thunderstorms this evening (small hail possible), a good (50%) chance of showers late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of AM coastal showers and showers likely (60%) with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon while a slight (20%) chance of AM inland showers and a good (50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms inland Wednesday afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Wednesday night (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday, then just mostly cloudy at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday, a (30%) chance of rain Friday night.
• lows 44-40 highs near 54.
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday, a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night through Monday night,
• Then Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday.
• highs 54-57 lows near 44. (seasonal averages high 54 low 42)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers and colder tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible, evening small hail possible, 1-3 in. of snow possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of AM rain and snow showers, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Wednesday afternoon and evening (0.10 in of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible), a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers late at night (under 0.10 in of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible),
• Mostly cloudy Thursday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and Thursday night,
• More clouds to mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow  Friday afternoon and at night.
• snow level 3,500 ft. tonight, 3,000 ft. Wednesday, 3,500 ft. Wednesday night, free air freezing level at the surface rising to 4,000 ft. Thursday afternoon, then free air freezing level 5,000 ft. Thursday night, snow level 3,500 ft. Friday, then 4,000 ft. Friday night.
• lows near 24 highs 36-43.
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Saturday and Saturday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of snow showers Sunday and at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (40%) chance of snow showers Monday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers Monday night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a (40%) chance of rain and snow Tuesday.
• snow level 3,000 ft. Saturday, 3,500 ft. Saturday night, 2,500 ft. Sunday and Sunday night, at the surface Monday, then 3,000 ft. Monday  night and Tuesday.
• highs 43-36 warming back to 43 Tuesday lows near 24.

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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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