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Check out my latest Eugene Daily News Weather Or Not Column Things Seemed Much Simpler And Innocent Back Then.

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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 weekly weather quiz question. What is an “acre foot?” 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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A high pressure ridge (Shaded “Arch” shape in blue arrows) is getting stronger right over us. The high is trapping the hot air over the Pacific Northwest producing the hottest temperatures so far this year. There will be a slight chance of thunderstorms at the peak of the heating tonight through Sunday evening. Very hot for the USA Track and Field Championships that continue through Saturday. Could even see a thunderstorm today and Saturday during the championships. The grass pollen which is high could be a serious problem for the athletes who are allergic.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 17 in the Good category measuring Ozone.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 20 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 23 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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Advisories:

• AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM SUNDAY FOR THE LOWER COLUMBIA, THE GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA, THE CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY, THE SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY, THE WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, THE CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIGER GORGE AND THE UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM SUNDAY FOR HOT, DRY, UNSTABLE CONDITIONS, UNSEASONABLY DRY FUELS, AND THE POTENTIAL OF ABUNDANT LIGHTNING. THE AREA INCLUDES THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY AND ADJACENT COAST RANGE AND CASCADE FOOTHILLS, MOUNT HOOD NATIONAL FOREST WEST OF THE CASCADE CREST, AND THE WILLAMETTE NATIONAL FOREST.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM TODAY UNTIL UNTIL 9 PM SUNDAY FOR DRY THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING ABUNDANT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS FOR THE DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST – MINUS SISTERS RANGER DISTRICT.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM TODAY UNTIL 11 AM SUNDAY FOR THE WESTERN KLAMATH FOREST, THE SHASTA-UMPQUA BASIN – UMPQUA NATIONAL FOREST, WESTERN ROGUE RIVER – SISKIYOU NATIONAL FOREST, THE WESTERN ROGUE BASIN INCLUDING THE ILLINOIS VALLEY, THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS – EASTERN ROGUE VALLEY –  THE SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES, AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON DESERT INCLUDING THE BLM LAND IN EASTERN LAKE COUNTY AND WESTERN HARNEY COUNTY.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM TODAY UNTIL 11 AM SATURDAY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON COAST.
• A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM SUNDAY FOR THE COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND THE CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON, THE NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS, AND THE CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY.
• A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TODAY UNTIL 5 AM SATURDAY FOR CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, AND JACKSON COUNTY.
• AN ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE PRESENCE OF BLUE-GREEN ALGAE TOXINS IN LAKE BILLY CHINOOK RESERVIOR IN JEFFERSON. UNTIL THE ADVISORY IS LIFTED THERE SHOULD BE NO HUMAN OR ANIMAL CONTACT WITH THE WATER.

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

• Sunny and hot today, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of (dry) thunderstorms tonight,
• Partly cloudy and hot with a slight (20%) chance of  thunderstorms Saturday AM, partly cloudy and hot with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy and just a bit cooler Sunday with a (30%) chance of AM thunderstorms and a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms in afternoon and evening, then just partly cloudy late Sunday night.
• highs 98-86 lows 65-57.
• Partly cloudy and warmer Monday and Monday night,
• Mostly sunny in the AM then partly cloudy and very warm in the afternoon and partly cloudy at night Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
• highs 90-94 lows 56-59. (seasonal averages high 76 low 49)

Eugene/Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: Low- 8

Grass: High- 172

Reading as of: 6/26/15

Data courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Sunny and hot and becoming partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of (dry) thunderstorms tonight and Saturday AM, mostly cloudy and hot with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, a (30%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday night,
• AM clouds, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms and cooler Sunday and Sunday evening, just partly cloudy late at night.
• highs 101-93 lows 69-59.
• Partly cloudy and a bit warmer Monday through Thursday.
• highs 94-97 lows near 62. (seasonal averages high 79 low 54)

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

• Mostly cloudy this AM, partly cloudy this afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of coastal evening thunderstorms and a slight (20%) chance of (dry) thunderstorms while a (30%) chance of inland (dry) thunderstorms tonight,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of (dry) thunderstorms Saturday AM, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms late Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of inland thunderstorms Sunday, partly cloudy in the evening, then just mostly cloudy late Sunday night.
• highs 65-62 lows 57-53.
• Partly cloudy Monday through Thursday.
• highs near 64 lows near 54. (seasonal averages high 63 low 52)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly sunny and warmer with a slight (20%) chance of dry thunderstorms this afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of (dry) thunderstorms tonight and Saturday AM, a (30%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday afternoon through the evening, partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of thunderstorms late Saturday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of AM thunderstorms, a bit cooler Sunday afternoon with a (30%) chance of showers and thunderstorms, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Sunday night.
• free air freezing level 16,000 ft. tonight through Saturday night, then above 8,000 ft. Sunday and Sunday night.
• highs 89-82 lows 60-62 cooling to 58 Sunday night.
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Monday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and Monday night,
• Mostly sunny Tuesday AM, then partly cloudy and a bit warmer Tuesday afternoon through Thursday.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. Monday, then free air freezing level 16,000 ft. Monday night through Thursday.
• highs 82-87 lows 57-62 cooling to 58 Wednesday night.

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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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