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 high (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) is returning the sunshine because it pushed a frontal system moved through the Pacific Northwest Thursday spreading some much-needed rain over the area. Now we dry out again. Our next frontal system will arrive between Sunday and Monday.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 26 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 9 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 41 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:

• A mix of clouds and sun with patchy AM fog, mostly sunny and warmer this afternoon, mostly clear this evening, mostly cloudy with patchy fog late tonight and Saturday AM, mostly sunny and a bit warmer in the afternoon, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny Sunday AM, partly cloudy and a bit warmer in the afternoon and evening, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Sunday night.
• highs 76-80 lows 48-54.
• Partly cloudy with patchy AM fog and a slight (20%) chance of showers, mostly sunny Monday afternoon, mostly clear Monday night,
• Mostly sunny and a bit cooler Tuesday, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny Wednesday AM, partly cloudy and just a bit warmer in the afternoon and evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Wednesday night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday.
• highs 74-72 lows 43-47. (seasonal averages high 77 low 47)

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Your Saturday College Football Forecasts:

Ducks vs Georgia State at Autzen Stadium – Kickoff 11 AM PDT: Decreasing clouds to mostly sunny 55 and warming as the game progresses to near 80, Wind- N 5-10 mph.

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Beavers vs San Jose State at Reser Stadium -Kickoff 5 PM PDT: Mostly sunny 58 warming to near 80 by the end of the game, Wind- Light.

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including Roseburg:

• Partly cloudy with patchy fog this AM, sunny and warmer this afternoon, mostly clear tonight,
• Sunny and warmer Saturday and Sunday, mostly clear Saturday night, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night.
• highs 79-85 lows 50-56.
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and a bit cooler Monday, partly cloudy and cooler at night,
• Mostly sunny and a bit cooler Tuesday and Wednesday, mostly clear Tuesday night, partly cloudy Wednesday evening, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Wednesday night and Thursday.
• highs 77-75 lows 45-49. (seasonal averages high 78 low 51)

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

• Partly cloudy with patchy fog this AM, sunny and a bit warmer this afternoon, mostly clear this evening, partly cloudy late tonight,
• Sunny Saturday, mostly clear Saturday night,
• Sunny Sunday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night.
• highs near 66 lows 52-56.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday, partly cloudy Monday night and Tuesday, mostly clear Tuesday night,
• Mostly sunny Wednesday, partly cloudy in the evening, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Thursday.
• highs near 65 lows 49-53. (seasonal averages high 65 low 50).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly sunny and warmer today, Saturday and Sunday, mostly clear tonight and Saturday night, then partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late Sunday night.
• free air freezing level 12,000 ft. today, 13,000 ft. tonight and Saturday,  14,000 ft. Saturday night and Sunday, the snow level above 8,000 ft. Sunday night.
• highs 65-70 lows 38-46 cooling to 43 Sunday night.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday AM, mostly sunny in the afternoon, partly cloudy Monday night,
• Mostly sunny Tuesday, mostly clear at night,
• Mostly sunny Wednesday AM, partly cloudy in the afternoon and evening, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Wednesday night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. Monday, free air freezing level 12,000 ft. Monday night through Tuesday night, 11,000 ft. Wednesday, then snow level above 8,000 ft. Wednesday night and Thursday.
• highs 62-65 cooling back to 62 Thursday lows near 42-38 warming back to 42 Wednesday night.

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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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