Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is “Active Conservation Storage?” 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.

________________

A broad upper level low is hovering over the Pacific Northwest. A frontal system has pushed through, but it wasn’t as strong as the one that hit us Monday. The next frontal system approaches the West Coast Sunday. Tuesday sees yet another frontal system headed for us. Local skiers are still celebrating. The mountains have a lot of new snow and Willamette Pass, Hoodoo and Mt. Ashland are all open, with night skiing starting today at Hoodoo. Check their websites for updates.

________________

Air Quality Index:

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

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 39 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 39 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

________________

Advisories:

• A FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM UNTIL 7 AM SATURDAY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON COAST AND THE CURRY COUNTY COAST.
• A FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR  THE SOUTH FORK OF THE COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE IN COOS COUNTY.
• 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.

________________

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

• A mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of AM showers, a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of afternoon showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 500 ft.-1,000 ft.) today (Christmas Day), partly cloudy this evening, mostly cloudy with areas of fog and freezing fog late tonight and Saturday AM, a mix of clouds and sun and a bit cooler Saturday afternoon, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy with areas of freezing fog late Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, then rain Sunday night.
• highs 42-36 warming back to 42 Sunday lows 26-35.
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Tuesday, mostly cloudy with a slight  (20%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday, then partly cloudy Wednesday night and Thursday.
• highs 42-45 lows near 35. (seasonal averages high 45 low 33)

_____

Home Wood Heating Advisory:

Eugene-Springfield: GREEN – Burning is allowed.

Oakridge:  YELLOW– Caution is Advised.

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

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

___________________

Forecast for Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible, snow level 800 ft. rising to 1,500 ft.) this afternoon (Christmas Day), a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers this evening, partly cloudy with areas of fog and freezing fog late tonight and Saturday AM, just partly cloudy in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with areas of fog and freezing fog Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy with areas of AM freezing fog, mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon, then rain likely (70%) Sunday night.
• highs 42-45 lows 26-35.
• Cloudy and a bit warmer with a (40%) chance of showers Monday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow Tuesday, a (30%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday and at night,
• Then just partly cloudy Thursday.
• highs 43-46 lows near 34. (seasonal averages high 48 low 36)

________________

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

• Mostly cloudy with AM coastal showers likely (70%) while inland AM rain and snow showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of showers (0.15 in. of rain possible, snow level 2,000 ft.) and a bit warmer this afternoon (Christmas Day), partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of coastal evening showers and mostly cloudy late tonight while with a slight (20%) chance of inland scattered evening showers and partly cloudy late tonight, areas of fog and freezing fog late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with areas of AM coastal fog and freezing fog while areas of freezing fog inland, just mostly cloudy Saturday afternoon, partly cloudy in the evening, mostly cloudy late Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday, then rain likely (70%) Sunday night.
• highs 46-50 lows 30-40.
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday, a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• A  slight (20%) chance of rain Tuesday, a (30%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday and Wednesday night,
• Then just partly cloudy Thursday.
• highs 50-52 lows 37-42. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40).

________________

Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of snow showers today (Christmas Day), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening snow showers, becoming mostly clear late tonight,
• Mostly sunny and a bit warmer Saturday, partly cloudy at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer Sunday, then becoming cloudy with snow likely (70%) at night.
• snow level at the surface today through this evening, free air freezing level at the surface late Friday night through Sunday, then snow level 2,500 ft. Sunday night.
• highs 25-29 lows 6-22.
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of snow showers Monday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers Monday night,
• A slight (20%) chance of snow and a bit cooler Tuesday, a slight (20%) chance of rain or snow Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and a bit warmer Wednesday, just mostly cloudy at night,
• Then partly cloudy and a bit warmer Thursday.
• snow level 2,500 ft. Monday, at the surface Monday night and Tuesday, 3,500 ft. Tuesday night, 4,000 ft. Wednesday, free air freezing level 5,500 ft. Wednesday night, then 6,500 ft. Thursday.
• highs 33-30 warming to 40 Wednesday lows 19-22.

________________

**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.

________________

Get your local Eugene-Springfield and Lane County news on-line at eugenedailynews.com.

________________