Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is an “Observation Well?”  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.

________________

An upper level ridge of high pressure (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) has taken over to keep the rain away from us, but limits sunshine if the fog and clouds don’t clear.  Looks like dry weather will continue for a while. Thursday a frontal system is poised to move in which could bring the rain back by Thursday night. Here is another frontal system shown moving through Oregon Saturday morning which means more showery weather.

________________

Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 42 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 23 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

________________

Advisories: None At This Time.

________________

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

• Mostly cloudy with areas of AM fog, mostly sunny and a bit cooler with patchy lingering fog this afternoon, partly cloudy in the evening, cloudy with areas of fog late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with areas of fog Wednesday AM, partly cloudy and a bit warmer in the afternoon, just mostly cloudy Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday, then becoming cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Thursday night.
• highs 56-60 lows 40-44.
• Mostly cloudy with rain and a bit cooler Friday, showers likely (70%) Friday night,
• A bit cooler with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday, a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday night and Sunday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Then mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a (40%) chance of rain Monday (Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day).
• high 55-53 lows 42-40 warming back to 42 Monday. (seasonal averages high 50 low 35).

_____

Home Wood Heating Advisory:

Eugene-Springfield: YELLOW – Caution is Advised.

Oakridge: GREEN – Burning Wood is allowed.

*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:

• Partly cloudy with areas of fog this AM, sunny and a bit warmer this afternoon, mostly clear this evening, partly cloudy and colder with patchy fog late tonight,
• Partly cloudy with patchy AM fog Wednesday, mostly cloudy Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday and Thursday night.
• highs 58-64 lows 49-45 warming to 48 Thursday night.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with rain likely (60%) Friday, a (40%) chance of evening rain, a (40%) chance of showers late Friday night and Saturday, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Saturday night and Sunday, cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Then just mostly cloudy Monday (Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day).
• highs 62-57 warming back to 62 Monday lows near 42. (seasonal averages high 53 low 37).

________________

Forecast for The South Oregon Coast Including Coos Bay and North Bend:

• Sunny today, mostly clear this evening, mostly clear this evening, mostly cloudy late tonight and Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of coastal rain late Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy Thursday with a slight (20%) chance of coastal rain while a slight (20%) chance of afternoon rain inland, then cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Thursday night.
• highs 67-62 lows 48-50.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with rain likely (70%) Friday, cloudy with a good (50%)  chance of evening rain, a good (50%) chance of showers and a bit cooler late Friday night and Saturday, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday night and Sunday (a bit warmer), cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Then just mostly cloudy and a bit warmer Monday (Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day).
• highs 58-54 warming to 60 Monday lows 45-47. (seasonal averages high 52 low 40).

________________

Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly sunny today, clear tonight,
• Partly cloudy and a bit cooler Wednesday, mostly cloudy Wednesday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit cooler Thursday, then becoming mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain at night.
• free air freezing level 12,000 ft. today, 11,000 ft. tonight, 10,000 ft. Wednesday through Thursday, then snow level 8,000 ft. Thursday night.
• highs 52-47 lows 35-33.
• Cloudy and cooler Friday with rain likely (70%), rain and snow showers likely (70%) Friday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Saturday, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow at night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with rain likely (70%) Sunday, cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with (40%) chance of rain and a bit warmer Monday (Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day).
• snow level 7,500 ft. Friday, 5,500 ft. Friday night, 4,000 ft. Saturday, 4,500 ft. Saturday night, 6,500 ft. Sunday, then 8,000 ft. Sunday night and Monday.
• highs 43-39 warming to 47 Monday lows 28-32.

________________

**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.

________________