Here is my 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 moved into the Pacific Northwest and now the low moves to the northeast bringing us cooler temperatures and more rain. A parade of increasingly  stronger storms like this frontal system that will slide into Oregon Sunday. We will see more frontal systems like this one shown pushing onto the coast next Thursday. 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 9 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 40 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 19 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 UNTIL 4 AM TODAY FOR THE NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES AND THE CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY.
• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM TODAY FOR CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY AND JACKSON COUNTY.
• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM TODAY FOR THE EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS, THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES, THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS, THE KLAMATH BASIN, THE KLAMATH BASIN, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.

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

• Cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers this AM, a mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer this afternoon, a good (50%) chance of evening rain, rain late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible) and Saturday, a good (50%) chance of evening showers, cloudy with showers likely (70%) late Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Then mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with rain Sunday and Sunday night.
• highs 48-52 cooling back to 48 Sunday lows near 42.
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance  of rain Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) and Monday night,
• Rain likely (70%) Tuesday, showers likely (60%) at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Wednesday, a good (50%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Then rain likely (60%) and a bit warmer Thursday.
• highs 48-46 warming back to 48 Thursday 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:

• Areas of AM fog, mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance showers of today (0.15 in. of rain possible, AM snow level 3,000 ft.), rain likely (70%) this evening, rain late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible) and Saturday (0.15 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of showers in the evening, showers likely (70%) late Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Then mostly cloudy with rain Sunday and Sunday night.
• highs 50-52 lows 45-40.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of rain Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) and Monday night,
• Cloudy with rain likely (70%) Tuesday, a (40%) chance of showers at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday AM, a slight (20%) chance of afternoon rain, cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Then rain likely (70%) Thursday.
• highs 48-5 lows 42-39. (seasonal averages high 50 low 37)

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

• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of showers today (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), rain tonight (0.30 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: S 10-15 mph increasing to S 15-25 mph late evening and tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with rain Saturday (0.40 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: SW 20-30 mph at the shore while SW 15-20 mph inland, AM gusts to 40 mph), a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, showers late Saturday night (0.20 in. of rain possible) and breezy (Wind: S 15-25 mph at the shore while S 10-15 mph late at night),
• Mostly cloudy with rain Sunday, then rain likely (60%) Sunday night.
• highs near 54 lows 48-46.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of rain Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Monday night.
• Rain likely (70%) Tuesday, a good (50%) chance of showers at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday AM, a slight (20%) chance of rain in the afternoon, cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain at night,
• Then rain likely (70%) Thursday.
• highs near 52 lows 45-42 warming back to 45 Wednesday  night. (seasonal averages high 52 low 40).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers this AM, a slight (20%) chance of showers and a bit warmer this afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible), a (40%) chance of evening rain, rain late tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible, 2 in. of snow possible),
• Cloudy and a bit warmer with rain Saturday and breezy (Wind: SW 15-25 mph gusts to 40 mph), a good (50%) chance of evening showers, rain and snow showers likely (70%) late Saturday night,
• Then rain Sunday and at night.
• snow level 3,500 ft. today, 4,500 ft. rising to 6,000 ft. tonight, 6,500 ft. falling to 5,500 ft. Saturday, 5,000 ft. Saturday night, 5,500 ft. Sunday, then  5,000 ft. Sunday night.
• highs 33-37 lows 30-26.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) and Monday night,
• Rain likely (60%) and a bit cooler Tuesday, showers likely (60%) Tuesday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer with a (30%) chance of rain and snow showers Wednesday, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow at night,
• Then rain likely (60%) Thursday.
• snow level 5,500 ft. Monday, 4,500 ft. Monday night, 4,000 ft. Tuesday, 3,500 ft. Tuesday night,  3,000 ft. Wednesday, then 5,000 ft. Wednesday night and Thursday.
• highs 34-30 warming to 33 Wednesday and Thursday lows near 24.

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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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