Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is “Latent Heat Flux?” 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) has slowly taken over.  It already sent cold front through the Pacific Northwest with cooled our temperatures down to below normal. Another frontal system will be on the way to push through on Monday.

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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 8 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 28 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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Advisories:

• 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. 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:

• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and a bit cooler this afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), cloudy with a (40%) chance of evening rain, a slight (20%) chance of rain late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Rain and a bit cooler Wednesday and in the evening (0.25 in. of rain possible), showers likely (70%) late Wednesday night (0.40 in. of rain possible) and Thursday AM, a mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer with a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers in the evening and just mostly cloudy at night.
• highs 65-69 lows 48-53 cooling to 50 Thursday night.
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer Friday, just partly cloudy Friday night through Saturday evening, mostly cloudy late Saturday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun Sunday, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy late Sunday night with a (30%) chance of rain late,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun and cooler with a good (50%) chance of rain Monday.
• highs 76-79 cooling to 72 Monday lows 49-54. (seasonal averages high 78 low 47)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and a bit cooler this afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with rain Wednesday (0.15 in. of rain possible), showers at night (0.20 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with AM showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday afternoon and evening, just mostly cloudy late Thursday night.
• highs 69-66 warming to 73 Thursday lows 49-52.
• Partly cloudy and warmer Friday through Saturday, mostly clear Saturday night,
• Mostly sunny Sunday, becoming mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday night Monday.
• highs 82-84 cooling to 76 Monday lows 52-55. (seasonal averages high 79 low 52)

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

• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain this afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), becoming cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Rain Wednesday (0.25 in. of rain possible), showers at night (0.30 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with AM showers likely (70%) Thursday, partly cloudy and a bit warmer a good (50%) chance of showers in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of evening showers, then just mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Thursday night.
• highs 62-66 lows 52-54.
• Mostly cloudy Friday with patchy fog  AM, partly cloudy Friday afternoon through Saturday, mostly cloudy Saturday night and Sunday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Sunday night,
• Then cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday.
• highs 67-64 lows near 55. (seasonal averages high 65 low 50).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler today, increasing clouds to cloudy with a (30%) chance of evening rain and snow, a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and cooler with rain Wednesday and in the evening, showers late Wednesday night,
• AM showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of showers and a bit warmer Thursday afternoon, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers in the evening, then just mostly cloudy late Thursday night.
• free air freezing level 6,500 ft. today, snow level 6,000 ft. tonight, 6,500 ft. Wednesday through Thursday, then above 8,000 ft. Thursday night.
• highs 52-49 warming 54 Thursday lows 37-39.
• Partly cloudy and warmer Friday and Friday night,
• Mostly sunny Saturday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon through Sunday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late at night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of rain Monday afternoon.
• free air freezing level 12,000 ft. Friday, 13,000 ft. Friday night, 14,000 ft.  Saturday through Sunday, then snow level above 8,000 ft. Sunday night and Monday.
• highs 65-70 cooling to 56 Monday lows near 44.

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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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