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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 “a Tail Cloud?” 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) has strengthened and has been keeping us warm. We cooled off Monday and now temps slowly rise a bit. The really good news is that we’ll stay away from the dreaded 100s. We’re getting just enough marine air to add a few clouds and keep us a bit cooler. An upper level low (“O” shape off Southern California) could move close enough to us to produce mountain thunderstorms that could even bounce around to the valleys.

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Air Quality Index:

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

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 11 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 17 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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Advisories:

• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT FOR THE WESTERN KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST, SHASTA-UMPQUA NATIONAL FOREST, SISKIYOUS MOUNTAINS, THE EASTERN ROGUE RIVER VALLEY, THE SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES, THE KLAMATH BASIN, AND THE FREMONT-WINEMA NATIONAL FOREST.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS UNTIL 9 PM TODAY FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST, MINUS SISTERS RANGER DISTRICT, AND THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF OREGON.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL 11 PM THIS EVENING FOR THE WESTERN KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST, THE SHASTA-UMPQUA NATIONAL FOREST, THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS, THE EASTERN ROGUE VALLEY, THE KLAMATH BASIN, AND THE FREMONT-WINEMA NATIONAL FOREST.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS FROM 2 PM UNTIL 11 PM TODAY FOR THE UMPQUA BASIN, THE WESTERN ROGUE RIVER, SISKIYOU NATIONAL FOREST, AND THE WESTERN ROGUE BASIN INCLUDING THE ILLINOIS VALLEY.
• A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR THE GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA, THE CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY, THE WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, THE CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, THE NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS, AND THE UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY.

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

• Partly cloudy this AM, sunny and comfortable today, mostly clear tonight,
• Mostly sunny Wednesday and a bit warmer, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny Thursday AM, then partly cloudy in the afternoon and at night.
• highs 85-88 cooling to 86 Thursday lows near 57.
• A mix of clouds and sun and cooler Friday, then partly cloudy Friday night through Sunday night, then partly cloudy with a (20%) chance of showers Monday afternoon.
• highs 84-82 lows near 55. (seasonal averages high 80 low 51)

Eugene/Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: Low- 6

Grass: High- 29

Reading as of: 7/6/15

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) of isolated thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight,
• Partly cloudy with slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon and evening, partly cloudy at night and Thursday AM, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and at night.
• highs near 88 lows 60-56.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Friday and Friday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer Saturday and Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms Sunday and at night,
• Then just partly cloudy Monday.
• highs 82-85 lows 57-55. (seasonal averages high 83 low 56)

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

• Mostly cloudy this AM, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms and a bit cooler this afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance isolated evening coastal thunderstorms and mostly cloudy late at night while partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of inland isolated thunderstorms tonight,
• Mostly cloudy in the AM, then just partly cloudy Wednesday afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy Thursday and at night.
• highs 65-67 cooling back to 65 Thursday lows near 54.
• Mostly cloudy Friday through Sunday, then partly cloudy Sunday night and Monday.
• highs 68-70 lows near 55. (seasonal averages high 64 low 52)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Partly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, just partly cloudy  tonight,
• Mostly sunny Wednesday AM, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, partly cloudy late Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. tonight through Thursday night.
• highs 82-78 lows 53-50.
• A mix of clouds and sun and cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, partly cloudy Friday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday through Monday AM, then just partly cloudy Monday afternoon.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. Friday through Monday.
• highs near 70 lows 48-50.

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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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