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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A large upper level low (Shaded U shape with blue arrows) continues to send frontal systems at us. A weak frontal system moves into the Pacific Northwest producing clouds and some rain. A parade of increasingly  stronger storms like this frontal system will move through adding to the chance of rain. The storms will be spaced about 24 hours apart. This frontal system slides in on Friday while yet another frontal system pushes into Oregon Saturday. 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 15 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 110 in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 73 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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Advisories:

• A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TODAY  THROUGH 4 AM WEDNESDAY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON COAST,  THE CURRY COUNTY COAST, THE KLAMATH BASIN, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.
• A WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM TODAY UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY FOR THE KLAMATH BASIN, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND CENTRAL, EASTERN AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY.
• A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TODAY UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY FOR JACKSON COUNTY.

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

• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain this AM, a bit warmer with rain increasing to likely (70%) this afternoon ( 0.50 in. of rain possible), rain tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with showers likely (60%) Wednesday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Wednesday night,
• Cloudy with AM rain, rain increasing and a bit cooler Thursday afternoon, evening rain, then a good (50%) chance of showers late Thursday night.
• highs 50-44 lows 44-35.
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer with a (30%) chance of showers Friday, mostly cloudy with rain likely (70%) Friday night through Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday, then rain likely (60%) Sunday night and Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).
• highs near 48 lows near 38. (seasonal averages high 47 low 34)

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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 AM rain likely (60%), rain changing to showers this afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), showers tonight (0.20 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with showers likely (60%) Wednesday, showers and a bit cooler in the afternoon, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Wednesday night (snow level 3,500 ft. falling to 3,000 ft. late),
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow Thursday AM, rain and snow and a bit cooler in the afternoon, cloudy with evening rain likely (70%), then a good (50%) chance of rain late Thursday night.
• highs 52-47 lows 44-38.
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance rain of Friday, rain likely (70%) Friday night through Saturday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Sunday, then rain likely (60%) Sunday night and Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).
• highs 48-52 cooling back to 48 Monday lows 42-40 warming back to 42 Sunday night. (seasonal averages high 49 low 36)

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

• Mostly cloudy with AM coastal rain likely (60%) while inland AM rain and showers and a bit warmer this afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: S 15-25 mph gusts to 40 mph late this afternoon), showers tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible) and windy (Wind: S 20-30 mph at the shore while S 5-15 mph inland),
• Showers likely (70%) Wednesday AM, showers with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and breezy (Wind: S 15-25 mph shifting W 10-20 mph in the afternoon at the shore while S 10-15 mph inland shifting W 15-20 mph in the afternoon),  mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers and colder late Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with AM rain likely (70%) Thursday, rain in the afternoon, cloudy with rain likely (60%) in the evening, a (30%) chance of rain late Thursday night.
• highs 59-52 lows 49-43.
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Friday, rain likely (60%) Friday night through Saturday night, a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday, then rain likely (70%) Sunday night and Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).
• highs 55-53 lows 47-44 warming back to 47 Sunday night. (seasonal averages high 51 low 40).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Cloudy and a bit warmer with a (30%) of AM rain and snow, rain likely (70%) this afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible), rain (0.25 in. of rain possible) tonight and breezy (Wind: SE 10-15 mph gusts to 30 mph increasing to S 15-25 mph gusts to 40 mph late at night),
• AM showers, afternoon rain and  snow showers Wednesday, cloudy with showers decreasing Wednesday night,
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of AM rain, a bit cooler with rain or snow increasing Thursday afternoon, then rain and snow increasing in the evening, rain and snow showers at night,
• snow level 5,500 ft. rising to 7,000 ft. today, 6,500 ft. tonight, 6,000 ft. falling to 5,000 ft. Wednesday afternoon, 3,000 ft. Wednesday night and Thursday, then 3,500 ft. Thursday night.
• highs 36-30 lows 32-22.
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers and a bit warmer Friday, rain likely (70%) Friday night,
• Rain Saturday, rain likely (60%) at night,
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Sunday, then rain likely (60%) Sunday night and Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).
• snow level 4,000 ft. Friday, 6,000 ft. Friday, 6,000 ft. Friday night, 5,500 ft. Saturday, 4,000 ft. Saturday night, 4,500 ft. Sunday and Sunday night, then 4,000 ft. Monday.
• highs near 33 lows 26-23 warming to 25 Sunday 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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