Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is an “ Easterly Wave?” 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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Another upper level low is headed toward the Pacific Northwest returning the wet weather.  A frontal system (shown to the northwest) will slide in Wednesday increasing the rain chances. Yet another frontal system pushes in by the end of the week. Local skiers should be celebrating. The mountains have a lot of new snow so the chance of more local ski slopes opening is now certain. Mt. Ashland started their season Monday. Willamette Pass and Hoodoo report their opening date will be Friday December 18th with night skiing starting Monday December 21st at Hoodoo. Check their websites for updates.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 16 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 44 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 31 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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Advisories:

• A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING UNTIL 4 AM FRIDAY FOR THE NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES, AND THE UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY.
• A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING UNTIL 10 AM THURSDAY FOR THE KLAMATH BASIN, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY.
• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 7 PM THURSDAY FOR THE WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE ( EAST OF MULTNOMAH FALLS); AND FROM 10 PM TONIGHT THROUGH 10 PM THURSDAY FOR THE CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 7 AM THURSDAY FOR THE CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY.
• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING UNTIL 10 AM THURSDAY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES AND THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS.
• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM TONIGHT UNTIL NOON THURSDAY FOR THE KLAMATH BASIN, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND CENTRAL, EASTERN AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY.
• A FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SOUTH FORK COQUILLE RIVER AT MYRTLE POINT IN COOS COUNTY- FORECAST TO CREST 3 FT. ABOVE FLOOD STAGE  (AT JUST ABOVE 36 FT. THURSDAY EVENING.)
• A FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE SOUTH FORK COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE IN COOS COUNTY- JUST ABOVE FLOOD STAGE AND EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO FALL.
• A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT FOR ALL OF WESTERN OREGON AS FAR SOUTH AS PORT ORFORD AND CANYONVILLE.
• 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.

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

• Cloudy with rain tonight (0.75 in. of rain possible),
• Rain, possibly heavy at times, and a bit warmer Thursday (1.00 in. of rain possible), evening showers, rain late Thursday night (0.75 in. of rain possible) and windy (Wind: S 15-25 mph increasing to S 20-30 late at night, gusts to 45 mp),
• Mostly cloudy with showers Friday (0.35 in. of rain possible), cloudy with evening showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of showers and colder Friday night (0.15 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday, then a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday night.
• lows 42-47 cooling to 38 Saturday night highs 55-46.
• Rain Sunday, showers likely (70%) at night,
• Rain Monday through Tuesday, rain likely (70%) Tuesday night,
• Then rain and a bit warmer Wednesday.
• highs 48-50 cooling to 47 Wednesday lows 40-42 cooling to 39 Tuesday night. (seasonal averages high 45 low 33)

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Home Wood Heating Advisory:

Eugene-Springfield: GREEN – Burning is allowed.

Oakridge:  GREEN – Burning is allowed.

*Note: Pellet stoves may be used anytime if they produce no visible emissions.

Advisory Courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA).

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Forecast for Roseburg:

• Cloudy with evening rain, showers tonight (0.65 in. of rain possible)
• Rain Thursday (0.75 in. of rain possible), rain and breezy at night (0.50 in. of rain possible),
• Rain Friday (0.35 in. of rain possible), evening showers, showers likely (70%) late Friday night (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy and a bit cooler with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers, then a (40%) chance Saturday night.
• lows 42-47 cooling to near 37 Friday night warming to 40 Saturday night highs 55-46.
• Mostly cloudy with rain Sunday, showers in the evening, rain late Sunday night through Tuesday night,
• Then showers Wednesday.
• highs 45-50 cooling to 47 Wednesday lows 42-48 cooling back to 42 Tuesday night. (seasonal averages high 47 low 36)

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

• Cloudy with rain this evening, showers late tonight (1.50 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with rain, possibly heavy at times, Thursday (2.00 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: SW 15-25 mph), rain Thursday night (1.00 in. of rain possible) and windy (Wind: S 20-30 mph gusts to 45 mph late at night),
• Rain Friday (0.35 in. of rain possible), showers likely (70%) at night (0.20 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday, then rain likely (70%), possibly heavy at times, Saturday night.
• lows 47-50 cooling to 43 Friday night warming to 46 Saturday night highs 57-50.
• Rain Sunday, showers in the evening, rain late at night,
• Rain and breezy Monday through Tuesday, rain Tuesday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with showers Wednesday.
• highs near 52 lows 47-52 cooling to 48 Tuesday night. (seasonal averages high 51 low 39).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Cloudy with rain and snow (5-11 in. of snow possible) tonight,
• Rain and snow, possibly heavy at times, Thursday AM, rain in the afternoon and a bit warmer (2.00 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: SW 15-25 mph gusts to 35 mph), evening showers, rain late Thursday night (0.50 in. of rain possible) and windy (Wind: SW 20-30 mph gusts to 50 mph),
• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow Friday AM, rain and snow showers likely (70%) in the afternoon, rain and snow showers likely (70%) and colder Friday night,
• Cloudy with AM snow showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of snow showers and a bit cooler Saturday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of snow at night.
• snow level 3,500 ft. tonight, 6,000 ft. Thursday, 6,500 ft. Thursday night, 5,500 ft. falling to 4,000 ft. Friday, 3,000 ft. Friday night, then at the surface Saturday and Saturday night.
• lows 29-32 cooling to 23 Saturday night highs 38-34.
• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow Sunday through Tuesday, rain and snow Tuesday night, then snow Wednesday.
• snow level 3,500 ft. Sunday, 3,000 ft. Sunday night, 3,500 ft. Monday, 5,000 ft. Monday night, 4,500 ft. Tuesday, 2,000 ft. Tuesday night, then 2,500 ft Wednesday.
• highs 33-35 lows 23-26.

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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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