Here is my weekly weather quiz question. What is the “NAO Index?”  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) has moved in behind the high pressure that stopped the rain for a short time Wednesday. A frontal system moved into the Pacific Northwest. Between tonight and Saturday the low pressure center will push through increasing the rain again. Next week another  frontal system (position shown is Tuesday) will move into Oregon keeping our wet weather pattern intact. Here comes a frontal system next Thursday to keep the rain falling.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 10 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 7 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 12 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

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Advisories:

• A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM TONIGHT UNTIL 10 AM SATURDAY FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.
• A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE COQUILLE RIVER AT COQUILLE. EXPECTED TO STAY ABOVE FLOOD STAGE THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

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

• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of evening rain, rain late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and cooler with showers Saturday (0.10 in. of rain possible), a good (50%) chance of evening showers, a slight (20%) chance of showers late Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday AM, a good (50%) chance of rain and a bit cooler in the afternoon (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), a (40%) chance of evening rain, patchy fog with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Sunday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Patchy AM fog, a mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer Monday, then becoming mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday night.
• lows 43-37 warming to 42 Monday night highs 52-47 warming to 50 Monday.
• Cloudy and a bit warmer with a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• A (40%) chance of rain Wednesday, a good (50%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Then rain likely (70%) Thursday and Friday, mostly cloudy with rain Thursday night.
• highs 50-53 cooling back to 50 Friday lows 40. (seasonal averages high 48 low 35)

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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 rain tonight (0.20 in. of rain possible),
• AM showers, showers likely (70%) and a bit cooler Saturday afternoon, (0.15 in. of rain possible), a good (50%) chance of showers at night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers and a bit cooler Sunday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy Monday with patchy AM fog, partly cloudy and a bit warmer in the afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday night.
• lows 42-39 warming back to 42 Monday night highs 50-56.
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Tuesday, a slight (20%) chance of rain and a bit warmer Tuesday night through Wednesday night,
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and a bit cooler Thursday, rain Thursday night,
• Then cloudy and a bit cooler with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday.
• highs 55-59 cooling to 52 Friday lows 45-49 cooling back to 45 Thursday night. (seasonal averages high 51 low 37)

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

• Mostly cloudy with coastal showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms tonight while inland  showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms late tonight (0.30 in. of rain possible),
• Showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday AM, showers likely (70%) and a bit cooler in the afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible), a (40%) chance of showers Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday night (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy Monday AM, partly cloudy and a bit warmer in the afternoon, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday night.
• lows 46-44 warming to 49 Monday night highs 53-57.
• Cloudy with rain likely (70%) Tuesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Tuesday night and Wednesday (a bit warmer), mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with rain Thursday and Thursday night,
• Then cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday.
• highs 56-59 cooling to 53 Friday lows 50-54 cooling back to 50 Thursday night. (seasonal averages high 52 low 40).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow this evening, rain and snow late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1-3 in. of snow possible),
• Rain and snow showers and cooler Saturday (0.25 in. of rain possible, 1-3 in. of snow possible), rain and snow showers Saturday night (0.25 in. of rain possible, 2 in. of snow possible),
• Mostly cloudy Sunday with a slight (20%) chance of AM rain and snow showers, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow late at night,
• Partly cloudy and warmer Monday, then becoming mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday night.
• snow level 5,500 ft. tonight, 4,500 ft. Saturday, 4,000 ft. Saturday night, 3,500 ft. Sunday and Sunday night, free air freezing level 5,500 ft. Monday, then 7,000 ft. Monday night.
• lows 30-24 warming back to 30 Monday night highs 35-32 warming to 38 Monday.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a slight (20%) chance of rain Tuesday and Tuesday night,
• A (40%) chance of rain Wednesday, a good (50%) chance of rain at night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with rain likely (70%) Thursday, rain at night,
• Then rain and snow likely (70%) and a bit cooler Friday.
• free air freezing level 7,500 ft. Tuesday, above 8,000 ft. Tuesday night, 7,500 ft. Wednesday, 8,000 ft. Wednesday night through Thursday night, then 5,500 ft. Friday.
• highs 40-43 cooling back to 40 Friday lows 32-35.

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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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