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.

________________

An upper level low (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) is located off the British Columbia coast. It will continue to rotate marine air toward us which will keep the temperatures fairly steady. The low will approach the Pacific Northwest and send disturbances our way by the end of the week bringing the chance of some much needed showers with it.

________________

Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 45 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 55 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 66 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

________________

Advisories:

• AN AIR QUALITY ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FOR CROOK, DESCHUTES, GILLIAM, GRANT, JEFFERSON, MONROE, SHERMAN, UMATILLA, UNION, WILLOWA, WASCO, WHEELER, BENTON AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES IN OREGON.
• 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.

________________

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

• Mostly sunny and pleasant today, partly cloudy tonight through Thursday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with slight (20%) chance of rain Friday, then rain Friday night.
• highs 85-79 lows 52-58.
• Mostly cloudy with AM rain, a bit cooler with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon and in the evening, a good (50%) chance of rain late at night and Sunday AM, a good (50%) chance of showers and a bit warmer in the afternoon, a (40%) chance of showers Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of AM showers, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday afternoon and evening, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers late Monday night and Tuesday.
• highs 73-75 lows 57-53. (seasonal averages high 82 low 50)

_________________

Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Sunny today, mostly clear this evening, partly cloudy late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy in the AM, partly cloudy with areas of smoke Thursday afternoon evening, mostly cloudy with patchy smoke at night,
• Cloudy and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of rain Friday afternoon and evening, rain likely (60%) in the evening, rain with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms late Friday night.
• highs 88-86 lows 57-59.
• Mostly cloudy with rain Saturday AM, showers likely (60%) in the afternoon and evening, a good (50%) chance of rain late Saturday night,
• A (30%) chance of showers Sunday and at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday AM, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers in the afternoon and at night,
• Partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday AM, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday afternoon.
• highs 82-85 cooling to 83 Monday and Tuesday lows 58-55. (seasonal averages high 83 low 55)

________________

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

• AM coastal clouds and fog and sunny this afternoon while sunny inland this afternoon, mostly clear this evening, mostly cloudy with  patchy fog late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy AM fog, partly cloudy Thursday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of coastal showers Thursday night,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday, then rain at night.
• highs 65-67 lows 54-56.
• Mostly cloudy with rain Saturday AM, showers in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Saturday night and Sunday, then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Sunday night through Tuesday.
• highs near 67-63 lows 56-54. (seasonal averages high 66 low 53).

________________

Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly sunny with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms this evening, just partly cloudy late tonight,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, just partly cloudy late Thursday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of showers Friday afternoon, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of evening rain, rain likely (70%) at night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. tonight through Friday night.
• highs 77-67 lows 48-45.
• Mostly cloudy, breezy and cooler Saturday with AM rain likely (70%), a mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of showers in the afternoon and evening, a good (50%) chance of rain late Saturday night and Sunday AM, a good (50%) chance of showers in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Sunday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of AM showers, a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Monday night and Tuesday AM, then a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday afternoon.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. Saturday through Tuesday.
• highs 64-66 cooling to 59 Monday warming to 63 Tuesday lows 45-43.

_______________

**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.

________________

Get your local Eugene-Springfield and Lane County news on-line at eugenedailynews.com.

________________