Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is a “Jet Max?” 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 (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) is sending moisture and smoke northward at us. We are also seeing a smoky haze over the Eugene-Springfield area caused by local area fires and the wildfires to our south. The low moves inland, finally, bringing showers and possible thunderstorms with it and that should scrub the smoke out of the air, for a while at least. A frontal system (shown moving out of Canada) will bring some cooler air with it, but we will start to warm up and dry out again over the weekend.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 57 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 79 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 55 in the Moderate 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 FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FROM 8 AM UNTIL 11 PM TODAY FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES AND THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON.
• A HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SUNSET BAY STATE PARK BEACH LOCATED IN COOS COUNTY FOR HIGHER-THAN-NORMAL FECAL BACTERIA WHICH CAN RESULT IN DIARRHEA, STOMACH CRAMPS, SKIN RASHES, UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AND OTHER ILLNESSES. DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE WATER – ESPECIALLY BY CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY, WHO MAY BE VULNERABLE TO WATERBORNE BACTERIA – SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN THIS AREA UNTIL THE ADVISORY IS LIFTED. VISITORS SHOULD AVOID WADING IN NEARBY CREEKS, POOLS OF WATER ON THE BEACH, OR IN DISCOLORED WATER AND STAY CLEAR OF WATER RUNOFF FLOWING INTO THE OCEAN.
• A HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR UPPER KLAMATH LAKE AND AGENCY LAKE DOWN TO KENO DAM TO THE CALIFORNIA BORDER, LOCATED JUST NORTH OF KLAMATH FALLS ALONG HIGHWAY 97 IN KLAMATH COUNTY. WATER MONITORING BY THE USGS HAS CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF BLUE-GREEN ALGAE TOXINS WHICH CAN BE HARMFUL TO HUMANS AND ANIMALS. SWALLOWING, INHALING OR SKIN CONTACT WITH WATER DROPLETS SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
• A HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SEAL ROCK STATE PARK BEACH FOR HIGHER-THAN-NORMAL FECAL BACTERIA WHICH CAN RESULT IN DIARRHEA, STOMACH CRAMPS, SKIN RASHES, UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AND OTHER ILLNESSES. DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE WATER – ESPECIALLY BY CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY, WHO MAY BE VULNERABLE TO WATERBORNE BACTERIA  – SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN THIS AREA UNTIL THE ADVISORY IS LIFTED. VISITORS  SHOULD AVOID WADING IN NEARBY CREEKS, POOLS OF WATER ON THE BEACH, OR IN DISCOLORED WATER AND STAY CLEAR OF WATER RUNOFF FLOWING INTO THE OCEAN.

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

• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this AM, showers likely (70%) and much cooler today (0.10 in. of rainfall possible, more in storms), mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers this evening tapering off tonight,
• AM clouds, mostly sunny Saturday afternoon and Sunday, mostly clear Saturday night and partly cloudy late Sunday night.
• highs 75-87 lows 55-52 warming to 55 Sunday night.
• Mostly sunny and warmer Sunday, partly cloudy at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Monday AM, mostly sunny and a bit cooler in the afternoon, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy late Monday night and Tuesday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and Tuesday night,
• Mostly sunny Wednesday and Thursday, partly cloudy Wednesday night.
• highs 83-85 lows 57-59. (seasonal averages high 83 low 51)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• A good (50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this AM, a good (50%) chance of afternoon showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers in the evening, just partly cloudy late tonight,
• Sunny and a bit warmer Saturday, clear at night,
• Sunny and warmer Sunday, then clear at night.
• highs 89-90 lows near 56.
• Sunny and a bit cooler Monday, mostly clear in the evening, partly cloudy late Monday night and Tuesday AM, sunny and a bit cooler in the afternoon, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny and warmer Wednesday, mostly clear Wednesday night,
• Then sunny and a bit warmer Thursday.
• highs 85-83 warming to 89 Thursday lows 56-59. (seasonal averages high 85 low 56)

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

• Mostly cloudy with patchy coastal smoke and coastal showers likely (60%) with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this AM and a (40%) chance of afternoon showers while a good (50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms inland this afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, just partly cloudy late tonight,
• Sunny Saturday, then clear Saturday night.
• highs near 66 lows near 55.
• Sunny Sunday, clear in the evening, then partly cloudy late Sunday night through Thursday AM, then mostly sunny Thursday afternoon.
• highs near 66 lows near 56. (seasonal averages high 65 low 53)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with showers likely (60%) and a slight (40%) chance of thunderstorms today, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, just partly cloudy late tonight and Saturday AM, sunny and warmer in the afternoon, clear Saturday night,
• Sunny and warmer Sunday, then mostly clear at night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today and tonight, free air freezing level 13,000 ft. Saturday, 14,000 ft. Saturday night, 15,000 ft. Sunday, then 14,000 ft. Sunday night.
• highs 62-79 lows 43-46.
• Partly cloudy and a bit cooler Monday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Monday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, mostly sunny and a bit cooler in the afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, just partly cloudy late Tuesday night,
• Then mostly sunny and warmer Wednesday, partly cloudy Wednesday night and Thursday AM, then sunny in the afternoon.
• free air freezing level 14,000 ft. Monday, snow level above 8,000 ft. Monday night through Tuesday night, Free air Freezing 15,000 ft. Wednesday and Wednesday night, then 16,000 ft. Thursday.
• highs 72-68 warming to 74 Thursday lows 46-44 warming back to 46 Thursday.

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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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