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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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.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 35 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 34 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 32 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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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 HAS BEEN LIFTED FOR SEAL ROCK STATE PARK BEACH. TESTING SHOWS FECAL BACTERIA LEVELS HAVE SUBSIDED.
• 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.

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

• AM clouds, partly cloudy this afternoon and this evening, mostly cloudy late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with slight (20%) chance of rain Friday ( 0.10 in. of rain possible), a good (50%) chance of evening rain, rain and cooler late Friday night (0.50 in. of rain possible) and Saturday AM, a mix of clouds and sun with good (50%) chance of rain and a bit cooler in the afternoon, a slight (20%) chance of evening rain, then rain likely (70%) late Saturday night.
• highs 85-73 lows 56-59 cooling to 56 Saturday night.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday, partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers in the evening, a slight (20%) chance of showers late Sunday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday AM,  partly cloudy in the afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Tuesday with a slight (20%) chance of showers, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers late Tuesday night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun and a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of showers Wednesday.
• highs 73-75 cooling to 72 Wednesday lows 53-55. (seasonal averages high 81 low 50)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy this AM, partly cloudy with areas of smoke this afternoon, mostly cloudy with patchy smoke tonight,
• Cloudy and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of rain Friday AM, a slight (20%) chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), showers with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms late Friday night (0.45 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy with rain Saturday AM, partly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers in the afternoon and evening, then mostly cloudy with showers likely (70%) late Saturday night.
• highs 88-82 lows near 59.
• Mostly cloudy with AM showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday afternoon and at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Monday night through Wednesday.
• highs 82-78 lows 57-52. (seasonal averages high 83 low 54)

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

• Mostly cloudy with  patchy fog this AM, just mostly cloudy this afternoon, partly cloudy this evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late tonight,
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday, a slight (20%) chance of inland afternoon and evening thunderstorms (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain at night (0.75 in. of rain possible) and Saturday AM, partly cloudy with showers likely (60%) in the afternoon and evening, then mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) late Saturday night.
• highs near 66 lows near 56.
• Mostly cloudy with showers likely (70%) Sunday and Sunday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday AM, mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of showers in the afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Sunday night through Wednesday.
• highs near 64-70 cooling to 66 Wednesday lows near 54. (seasonal averages high 66 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 this evening, just partly cloudy late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of rain Friday afternoon, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of evening rain, rain likely (70%) at night,
• Mostly cloudy Saturday with AM rain, a mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of showers and cooler in the afternoon, a slight (20%) chance of evening rain, then a good (50%) chance of rain late Saturday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today through Saturday night.
• highs 75-58 lows 49-44.
• Partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday AM, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers in the afternoon, partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of evening showers, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Sunday night,
• A slight (20%) chance of AM showers, a mix of clouds and sun Monday afternoon, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Monday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Tuesday with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers, a (30%) chance of showers in the afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday night and Wednesday.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. Sunday through Wednesday.
• highs 62-58 warming to 60 Tuesday and Wednesday lows near 42.

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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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