_________________

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

_____

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 feature article about Contractors Electric called Is The Ground Wire The White One Or The Black One?

__________________

Here is my 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.

________________

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.

________________

Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 13 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 9 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 13 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA).

________________

Advisories: None At This Time.

________________

Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis:

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

___

Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: Very High-  1187

Grass: Absent- 0

Reading as of: 3/28/15

Data courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

_________________

Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers this AM, showers likely (60%) and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 3,500 ft.), a slight (20%) chance of showers tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy Thursday, just partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy Thursday night,
• Mostly cloudy Friday AM, partly cloudy with a  good (50%) chance of rain in the afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Friday night.
• highs 55-60 lows near 37.
• Mostly cloudy with a (50%) chance of showers Saturday, a (30%) chance of rain at night,
• AM rain and snow likely (70%), rain likely (60%) Sunday afternoon, a good (50%) chance of evening rain, a (40%) chance of rain and snow late Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow Monday, cloudy with  a (30%) chance of rain at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Tuesday.
• highs 57-54 warming to 57 Tuesday lows 36-39. (seasonal averages high 60 low 40)

________________

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

• Mostly cloudy with AM coastal showers likely (60%) while a slight (20%) chance of inland AM showers, showers likely (60%) with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of showers tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft. late at night),
• Mostly cloudy Thursday, just partly cloudy at night,
• Mostly cloudy with slight (20%) chance of AM coastal showers and a (40%) chance of rain Friday afternoon while a (40%) chance of inland afternoon showers, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday night.
• highs 53-56 lows 40-43.
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday, a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday night,
• Rain likely (60%) Sunday and at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Monday, cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Monday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Tuesday.
• highs 54-57 lows 42-44. (seasonal averages high 54 low 42)

________________

Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers likely (60%) today (0.10 in of rain possible, 1-4 in. of snow possible), increasing rain and snow showers this evening, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers late tonight (under 0.10 in of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible),
• Mostly cloudy Thursday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Friday AM, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow  Friday afternoon, rain and snow showers likely (60%) in the evening, then a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers at night.
• snow level 3,000 ft. today, 3,500 ft. tonight, free air freezing level 3,500 ft. rising to 5,000 ft. Thursday afternoon, 5,500 ft. Thursday night, then snow level 4,000 ft. Friday and Friday night.
• highs 36-45 lows 22-25.
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Saturday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Saturday night,
• Snow showers likely (70%) Sunday, a good (50%) chance of snow showers at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of snow showers Monday, cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers 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 39-36 warming back to 43 Tuesday lows 23-26.

________________

**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.

________________

Get your local Eugene-Springfield and Lane County news on-line at eugenedailynews.com

________________