Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is the “water equivalent?” 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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Onshore airflow from a high pressure ridge (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) will cool our temperatures a bit and hold them steady for a while. A cold front will move through by the end of the week bringing the chance of some much needed showers with it.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 89 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 161 in the Unhealthy category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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

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Advisories:

• AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON TODAY FOR CROOK, DESCHUTES, GILLIAM,GRANT, JEFFERSON, MORROW, SHERMAN, UMATILLA, WASCO, WHEELER, BENTON, AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES.
• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR HOT, DRY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS UNTIL 9 PM TIS EVENING FOR THE SOUTHERN BLUE AND STRAWBERRY MOUNTAINS, THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS, AND THE CENTRAL BLUE MOUNTAINS.
• A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FROM 3PM UNTIL 9 PM TODAY FOR THE KLAMATH BASIN AND THE FREMONT-WINEMA NATIONAL FOREST.
• A HEALTH ADVISORY CONTINUES 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 CONTINUES FOR UPPER KLAMATH LAKE AND AGENCY LAKE DOWN TO KENO DAM, LOCATED JUST NORTH OF KLAMATH FALLS ALONG HIGHWAY 97 IN KLAMATH COUNTY. THE SECTION FROM THE KENO DAM TO THE CALIFORNIA BORDER HAS BEEN CLEARED FOR USE. 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 CONTINUES 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:

• Partly cloudy with haze and patchy AM smoke, mostly sunny and cooler today, mostly clear tonight,
• Mostly sunny Tuesday, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny Wednesday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and evening, then mostly cloudy Wednesday night.
• highs near 85 lows 52-54.
• A mix of clouds and sun Thursday, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday afternoon, becoming mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday AM, a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of afternoon showers, then cloudy and cooler with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday night and Sunday.
• highs 84-77 warming to 80 Sunday lows near 58. (seasonal averages high 82 low 51)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy and hazy with areas of smoke this AM, partly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms late this afternoon and evening, just mostly clear late tonight,
• Sunny Tuesday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon, mostly clear at night,
• Sunny in the AM, partly cloudy Wednesday afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late at night.
• highs near 88 lows 55-58.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday and in the evening, just mostly cloudy late Thursday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance showers and  a bit cooler Friday, a (30%) chance of showers at night and a bit cooler Saturday, then just a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday night and Sunday.
• highs 86-80 warming to 83 SUnday lows near 58. (seasonal averages high 84 low 55)

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

• Mostly cloudy with inland morning haze, partly cloudy this afternoon and tonight,
• Partly cloudy Tuesday, mostly clear at night,
  Partly cloudy Wednesday with patchy AM coastal fog, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy with patchy fog and a slight (20%) chance of showers late Wednesday night.
• highs near 66 lows near 55.
• Mostly cloudy with patchy fog and a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday and in the evening, just mostly cloudy at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday afternoon, a (40%) chance of showers at night and Saturday, then a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday night and Sunday.
• highs near 65-63 warming to 67 Saturday and Sunday lows near 56. (seasonal averages high 66 low 53).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms late this afternoon and evening, just partly cloudy late tonight,
• Mostly sunny in the AM, partly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and evening, just partly cloudy late at night,
• Mostly sunny in the AM, partly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon and evening, just partly cloudy at night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today through Wednesday night.
• highs near 76 lows near 48.
• A mix of clouds and sun Thursday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms late Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Friday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Friday night and Saturday, cloudy and a bit cooler with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night,
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Sunday AM, then a mix of clouds and sun with a (40%) chance of showers Sunday afternoon.
• free air freezing level 12,000 ft. Thursday, snow level above 8,000 ft. Thursday night through Sunday.
• highs 74-63 warming to 65 Sunday 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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