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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) is starting to weaken as the airflow from the south has brought clouds and the chance of showers and thunderstorms to Oregon. An upper level trough of low pressure(“U” shape) will be moving toward over the weekend keeping us under the cooler weather pattern.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 25 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 22 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 21 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 9PM THIS EVENING FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST, MINUS SISTERS RANGER STATION, THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, THE SOUTHERN BLUE AND STRAWBERRY MOUNTAINS, THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, THE CENTRAL BLUE MOUNTAINS, THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, AND THE WALLOWA DISTRICT.

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

• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of scattered evening showers and thunderstorms, a slight (20%) chance of showers late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of isolated light rain or sprinkles in the AM, just mostly cloudy Friday afternoon and Friday night,
• Patchy AM drizzle, mostly cloudy Saturday afternoon, mostly cloudy in the evening, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday and Sunday night.
• lows 57-55 highs near 77.
• A mix of clouds and sun Monday with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy late Monday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Tuesday AM, then mostly sunny and a bit warmer Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, and Thursday, mostly clear at night.
• highs 78-83 lows near 53. (seasonal averages high 81 low 51)

Eugene/Springfield Pollen Count:

Trees: Low- 0

Grass: High- 30

Reading as of: 7/9/15

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms tonight (heavy rain possible in storms),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday afternoon and evening, a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Sunday and Sunday night.
• lows 63-58 highs 82-80.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers Monday, just partly cloudy and a bit warmer in the afternoon through Tuesday, mostly clear Tuesday night,
• Then mostly sunny and a bit warmer Wednesday and Thursday, mostly clear Wednesday night.
• highs 83-88 lows 58-60. (seasonal averages high 83 low 56)

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

• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of isolated evening inland thunderstorms while patchy coastal fog and drizzle late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy coastal fog and drizzle Friday AM, mostly cloudy in the afternoon and Friday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of AM and late night coastal showers Saturday otherwise mostly cloudy,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday and Sunday  night.
• lows 57-55 highs near 65.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday AM, partly cloudy Monday afternoon through Tuesday, partly cloudy Monday night, mostly clear Tuesday night,
• Mostly sunny Wednesday, mostly clear at night,
• Partly cloudy Thursday AM, then sunny in the afternoon.
• highs near 64 lows near 55. (seasonal averages high 64 low 53)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with a showers likely (60%) and a slight (20%) chance of scattered thunderstorms this evening, a (40%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible, more in storms),
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms  Friday AM, a (40%) chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, just mostly cloudy late Friday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening,  a slight (20%) chance of showers late Saturday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and alight (20%) chance of AM showers and thunderstorms, a bit cooler Sunday afternoon with a good (50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the evening, a good (50%) chance of showers and thunderstorms late Sunday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today through Sunday night.
• lows 52-48 highs 70-64.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance AM showers, a (30%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Monday afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers and thunderstorms, just partly cloudy late Monday night and Tuesday AM, then mostly sunny and a bit warmer Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday and Thursday, mostly clear Tuesday night and clear Wednesday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. Sunday through Monday night, free air freezing level 13,000 ft. Tuesday and Tuesday night, then 14,000 ft. Wednesday through Thursday.
• highs 64-70 lows near 48.

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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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