Here is my weekly weather quiz question. What is “a Depression?” 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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A large upper level low (Shaded U shape with blue arrows) continues to send frontal systems at us. A frontal system (warm front in red first then cold front) is approaching the Pacific Northwest coast. Even more frontal systems line up offshore early next week (position shown  is Monday). Wednesday sees yet another in the parade of storms moving toward us. Willamette Pass, Hoodoo and Mt. Ashland are all open with great ski conditions. Check their websites for updates.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 59 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 15 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 43 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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Advisories:

• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM UNTIL 6 PM SATURDAY FOR THE WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE AND THE CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.

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

• Mostly cloudy with patchy fog and a good (50%) chance of rain late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy Saturday with patchy AM fog and rain at times, a good (50%) chance of rain and warmer in the afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain with patchy fog late Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with areas of fog Sunday AM, mostly sunny and a bit cooler Sunday afternoon, mostly clear in the evening, more clouds to mostly cloudy with patchy fog and freezing fog late Sunday night,
• Cloudy Monday with patchy AM fog, a good (50%) chance of rain in the afternoon, just mostly cloudy Monday night.
• lows 37-30 warming to 36 Monday night highs 49-44.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and a bit warmer Tuesday, a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Wednesday, a (40%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday, just partly cloudy at night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun Friday.
• highs 48-44 lows 39-35. (seasonal averages high 46 low 34)

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Home Wood Heating Advisory:

Eugene-Springfield: YELLOW– Caution is Advised.

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).

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Forecast for Roseburg:

• Cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening rain, rain late tonight (snow level 3,500 ft. late tonight),
• Mostly cloudy with AM showers likely (60%) Saturday, a good (50%) chance of rain in the afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, partly cloudy late Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Sunny and a bit cooler Sunday with patchy AM fog, mostly clear in the evening, partly cloudy late at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Monday, just mostly cloudy in the evening, then partly cloudy late Monday night.
• lows 40-35 warming back to 40 Monday night highs 50-48 warming back to 50 Monday.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and a bit warmer Tuesday, a (40%) chance of rain at night,
• A bit cooler with rain likely (60%) Wednesday, mostly cloudy and colder with a (30%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of showers Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday night and Friday.
• highs 50-46 lows 43-35. (seasonal averages high 49 low 36)

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

• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of evening rain, rain late tonight (0.20 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with coastal showers likely (60%) while AM showers likely (70%) and a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy Sunday with patchy AM fog, becoming mostly sunny and a bit warmer in the afternoon, mostly clear in the evening, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with AM rain Monday, mostly cloudy in the evening, then partly cloudy late Monday night.
• lows 45-40 warming to 44 Monday night highs 53-55.
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, a (40%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Rain likely (70%) and a bit cooler Wednesday, a (40%) chance of rain and cooler at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday, then a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday night and Friday.
• highs 54-50 warning to 52 Friday lows 48-40. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Partly cloudy this evening, becoming cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow at times Saturday (0.10 in. of rain possible, 1 in. of snow possible),  a (40%) chance of rain and snow in the evening, becoming partly cloudy late at night,
• Mostly sunny Sunday, mostly clear Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow Monday, then a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow Monday night.
• snow level 3,000 ft. tonight and Saturday, 4,000 ft. Saturday night, free air freezing level 5,000 ft. Sunday, 6,000 ft. Sunday night, then 5,000 ft. Monday and Monday night.
• lows 22-19 warming to 26 Monday night highs near 33.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow Tuesday, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain and snow Tuesday night,
• Rain and snow likely (70%) Wednesday,  a good (50%) chance of rain and snow at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow Thursday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Then a mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday.
• snow level 5,000 ft. Tuesday, 5,500 ft. Tuesday night, 4,000 ft. Wednesday, 3,000 ft. Wednesday night and Thursday, 3,500 ft. Thursday night, then 3,000 ft. Frtiday.
• highs 34-32 lows 28-23

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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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