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 moving toward the Pacific Northwest and sends a frontal system through bringing clouds and much needed rain with it. More fronts will continue the rain chances like this cold front that approaches the coast Monday. Remember that it has been very dry for a long time so the roads will be especially slippery when the rain gets started. The water brings up the oil from the pavement making the roadway slick. Once it rains enough the slipperiness will decrease.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 30 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 20 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 30 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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Advisories:

• A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 8AM UNTIL 8PM SATURDAY FOR THE EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN, THE FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS, THE SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON AND CENTRAL OREGON.
• A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE NORTH OREGON COAST, THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST, THE COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND THE CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON.
• 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:

• Cloudy and cooler with a slight (20%) chance of rain this afternoon and evening (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy with AM rain likely (60%), a good (50%) chance of afternoon showers and cooler, breezy (Wind: S 15-30 mph) Saturday ( 0.25 in. of rain possible), cloudy with good (50%) chance of rain in the evening, rain late Saturday night (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday (0.25 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night.
• highs 82-72 lows 58-53.
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday night and Tuesday AM, a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of showers at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Wednesday AM, a slight (20%) chance of afternoon showers, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Wednesday night,
• Then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday AM and just partly cloudy and a bit cooler in the afternoon.
• highs 75-70 lows 55-50. (seasonal averages high 81 low 50)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Cloudy and a bit cooler with patchy smoke and a slight (20%) chance of rain today (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain with patchy smoke tonight (0.20 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with rain Saturday AM, a (40%) chance of showers, breezy (Wind: S 15-25 mph) and cooler in the afternoon (0.20 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Sunday, a slight (20%) chance of showers at night.
• highs 88-82 lows 59-57.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday and Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday through Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday AM, then just partly cloudy and a bit cooler in the afternoon.
• highs 80-73 lows 55-50 warming to 53 Thursday. (seasonal averages high 83 low 54)

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

• Cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain today (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of evening rain, rain tonight (0.40 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with rain Saturday AM, a (40%) chance of showers in the afternoon (0.15 in. of rain possible) and windy (Wind: S 25-35 mph decreasing to S 20-25 mph in the afternoon at the shore while S 15-25 mph inland), a good (50%) chance of evening coastal showers and showers late at night while partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of evening inland showers and cloudy with inland showers late Saturday night (0.15 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: S 15-25 mph decreasing to S 10-15 mph late at night),
• Then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday, a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night.
• highs 67-64 lows 57-54.
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday and Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of showers Tuesday through Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday night,
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday AM, then just partly cloudy and warmer Thursday afternoon.
• highs near 70-65 warming back to 70 Thursday lows 54-52. (seasonal averages high 66 low 52).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of rain today, mostly cloudy with rain late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy Saturday with AM rain, a mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of rain and breezy (Wind: SW 15-25 mph gusts to 40 mph) and cooler in the afternoon, a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, a good (50%) chance of showers late Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy with AM showers likely (70%), partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday afternoon, partly cloudy with a (40%) chance of evening showers, then a slight (20%) chance of showers late Sunday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today through Sunday night.
• highs 68-58 warming to 62 Sunday lows 48-42.
• Partly cloudy Monday and Monday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Tuesday with a (40%) chance of showers in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Wednesday AM, a slight (20%) chance of showers in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, just mostly cloudy Wednesday night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun Thursday.
• free air freezing level 13,000 ft. Monday, 10,000 ft. Monday night, snow level above 8,000 ft. Tuesday and Tuesday night, 7,500 ft. Wednesday, 7,000 ft. Wednesday night, then free air freezing level 7,500 ft. Thursday.
• highs 62-57 warming to 60 Wednesday lows 42-39.

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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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